To Follow Your Heart
by IvyRaven03
Summary: "He watched me bleed on the stage where he was just dancing minutes ago. He was in complete shock. He even asked me 'Why'. Why what, Michael? Why did I save you? Because I can. Because I felt like it was something I had to do. Why? I follow my heart."
1. Chapter 1

"**My name is Ramona. I am a writer, a singer, and an artist of tribute music videos. The highest of the 3 on my list is writing. The stories I have written in the past has helped many people deal with hard situations.**

**I have no family left. My brother had died from cancer even after I gave him some of my bone marrow in order to save him. I wrote a story about how my emotional struggle nearly took my own life. I wrote about how it felt to risk my own life for his and how I felt when he took his last breath. That story alone gave a few more families hope when they had found out that their loved one had been diagnosed with cancer. That was reason enough for me to continue writing.**

**My parents died in a fire. Both of them had taken sleeping pills and some moron that was simply passing by flicked his lit cigarette into their yard. The high grass that lay up against the house easily caught fire and it spread in no time at all.**

**For some reason, I wasn't bitter for very long. I always believed everything happened for a reason. Maybe God was testing me to see how strong I was. I wasn't sure. One thing I was sure of was that I had no regrets. I had a wonderful relationship with everyone in my family.**

**I also sing, but mostly to myself. I play guitar and considered playing in public a few times. The only problem there was I happened to be extremely shy. One of the biggest traits I have is my loyalty to my idol, Michael Jackson. I stood by him as much as I could when he was accused of molesting a young boy that he had been very good friends with. I tried to go to every concert he ever played.**

**I bought a dog tag necklace at one of his shows during his Dangerous tour once and I always wore it around my neck. I still do. It gives me strength and reminds me that I am never alone. I remember the last time I ever saw Michael in person. What a nightmare it really was…"**

The young woman closed her journal for a moment and closed her eyes. She ran her delicate hand over a scar that covered her left shoulder and part of her chest. She winced at the memory and then held on to the dog tag with Michael's name on it. She knew she would forever hold this scar, and as ugly as it was, it was well worth it in the end. She looked out to the sunset on her little spot near the beach as she thought back on the memory…

_She had flown out to Bucharest the night before Michael Jackson's big concert. This was the second concert she would be going to from the Dangerous tour. She was so excited, though she had no one else to go with her. She didn't care. She remembered what it was like being able to witness his last show. The pure energy that radiated from his body poured around the stage and oozed into every single person in the crowd. When she arrived, she ran straight forward to the stage, along with thousands of other screaming fans. There were people as far as the eye could see and it was shoulder to shoulder crowds. _

_Ramona didn't mind. She was there for Michael and Michael alone. As she waited for him to make his appearance, she glanced around and noticed a suspicious looking man with dark sunglasses on and a trench coat. He patted down his sides as he glanced around. No one else seemed to notice him. He had an eerie aura coming from him and Ramona didn't like it one bit. Before she could try to figure him out, Michael burst out from the bottom of the stage and froze. Everyone went nuts including her. Michael stood there with sparks raining down from all around him. The sheer power of his presence was already filling the crowd and Romona felt dizzy just by looking at him._

_As the concert went on and he performed, Ramona joined in with the rest of the crowd singing along to every song and dancing as good as they could without running into each other. Michael kept a smile on his face the entire time. He enjoyed himself just as much as the fans did. Michael stopped at the end of a song to take a break and he spoke to the crowd. Ramona smiled as he made quick eye contact with her and winked at her. She knew she wasn't anything special, really. He did that to all of his fans. It sent chills down her spine. As she listened, she heard an unfamiliar ruffling sound nearby. _

_She looked over noticing that same eerie man and he was pulling his trench coat apart. She caught a glance at what was hidden under his coat. A pistol. Ramona gasped as she realized this man wasn't a part of the tour. He had no badge and he remained hidden under dark sunglasses. She knew she didn't stand a chance against this man, had she tried to fight him off, so she ran as fast as she could toward the stage. This man was going to try and kill Michael, and Ramona wasn't about to let that happen._

_A security guard stopped her by the rail and fought to keep her away from the stage. "Back up, little lady. That's far enough!"_

"_No!" she yelled. "You don't understand! There's a man here with a gun!" she struggled against him._

_He shook his head. "Yeah, of course there is. Now back off!"_

"_No! He's gonna kill him! Don't you see?" she began crying. Many other fans stared at her in shock. They didn't believe her either. They thought she was trying eagerly to get the chance to run up on the stage and tackle Michael. Ramona simply wanted to save him. "You need to do your job and protect Michael! That man has a gun!" she pointed into the crowd and the guard glanced around. Ramona glanced back again and saw the man pull out the gun and aim it at Michael._

_Adrenaline shot through her as she punched the security guard in the face and kneed him in the gut, sending him to his knees. Ramona jumped up onto the stage and looked at Michael and then back at the gunman. Michael stood unmoving, awaiting the impact of a crazed fan. Instead, the girl jumped in front of him and a loud gunshot echoed through the stadium. Ramona didn't even touch Michael. Her body spun at the sheer force of the bullet as it collided with her shoulder. _

_Michael stood in shock, not sure of what to do. The fans in the stadium scattered and more guards pinpointed the gunman before he could take another shot. Ramona stood frozen in front of Michael, ready to take another bullet for him, just to keep him alive. When she saw guards tackle the man and take hold of his gun, she looked back at Michael and then fell to her side in pain. Michael moved his hand forward and froze. He took a few breaths and then stepped closer to her before falling to his knees beside her. He delicately moved some hair from her face and touched her forehead. He didn't know what to say or do. He didn't even know this girl and she just jumped in front of a bullet for him._

"_Why?" he whispered out._

_Ramona winced as some of the people from back stage came out from behind Michael. They looked at Ramona and then back at Michael. Ramona clenched her teeth together in pain and in frustration. "What are you waiting for?" she growled out. "Get him out of here! Get him where it's safe!" she yelled._

_They grabbed Michael's arm and pulled him away. Before he lost sight of Ramona, he jerked his arm away and looked at a nearby guard standing behind the curtain. "Call an ambulance for that girl!" he yelled. The man nodded and ran out to the stage where Ramona lie bleeding. She had no regrets. Michael was worth saving. She smiled to herself as paramedics arrived and rushed her to a nearby hospital…_

She took in a deep breath at the memory. She remembered every single detail of that day. The pain she had felt the second the bullet tore apart her flesh. The rush of adrenaline that kept her standing until the gunman was unarmed, and even more so, the feeling of absolute peace when she saw Michael still standing unharmed, right behind her. She smiled as she opened her journal again…

"**He watched me bleed on the stage where he was just dancing minutes ago. He was in complete shock. He even asked me 'Why?'. Why what, Michael? Why did I save you? Why did I do that to someone I didn't really know as a person? Why? Because I can. Because I felt like it was something I had to do. Why? Because my heart told me to, and I always follow my heart…"**

She thought back again when she was healed up enough to leave the hospital. The first thing that was on her heart to do was go back to the stadium to find the security guard she had hit in order to get onto that stage in the first place…

_She stood outside the hospital doors and took in a breath of fresh air. She felt so peaceful. She didn't really know why. The doctors seemed concerned because she had no family to go home to, or really a home for that matter. She was in California and she had a pretty good sized tent set up in the corner of a beach, hidden by two rather large boulders. She sat on the boulders and watched every sunset. When she needed money for food, she would work a little here and there._

_She stepped out and grimaced at the arm sling she was forced to wear. She hated looking helpless by any means, but she shrugged it off. She had a mission to carry out before she could return to her beach. She took a taxi to the Staples Center where Michael was said to be rehearsing for his next round of shows. He needed to rehearse a lot more to get his mind off of that one horrible night. It was all over the news and he just couldn't escape it._

_Ramona knew that same guard had to have been working there. He was hand picked by Michael to guard him for the entire tour. She walked up to the main door and it was locked. She heard a few instruments being practiced on through the door and she walked around back where a large door the size of an airplane hanger stood open. There were some men standing outside with a clipboard talking when they saw her._

"_I'm sorry miss, we can't let you pass," one of them said politely._

_Ramona smiled and looked past them. She saw just inside where Michael stood with a few other men discussing quietly together. Near the front of the group stood the guard that Ramona came to see._

"_Miss, I'm sorry, I know you must be a huge fan of his, but we cannot allow you to pass," the other man said when he saw her look over their shoulders._

_Ramona shook her head and held up her good hand. "Oh, I'm sorry, you have me all wrong. I'm actually not here to see Mr. Jackson. I'm here to speak with that man standing back there," she pointed at the guard._

_The men looked confused, but looked back at the man. "Yo, Derek! There's a girl out here that wants to speak to you, man!" one of the men yelled._

_Ramona blushed as everyone, including Michael, turned their attention to them. She instantly stepped back a few feet, almost rethinking her decision. She forced herself to stay. She felt she really needed to make immense with this man._

_Michael raised a brow at Derek as he glanced outside. It was hard to see as bright as it was outside, so they couldn't see Ramona. "Your girlfriend coming to see you, hm?" Michael teased._

"_Um, well no, sir. I don't have one. Please, excuse me Mr. Jackson," Derek nodded at Michael as Michael grinned and looked away. Derek turned back to the men standing just inside the door. "Who is this girl?"_

"_Well, we don't know. She says she's from the last concert and you would remember her when you see her," one man yelled._

_Michael stopped in his tracks at this and quirked a brow. His curiosity got the better of him and he silently followed Derek toward the door and hid behind a parked golf cart nearby._

_Derek stepped out and Ramona froze. He had a bandage over his nose. Did she break it? She felt guilt wash over her immediately. Derek studied her for a moment before glancing at her arm that lay dangling in a sling. His eyes grew wide and Ramona bit her lip before stepping forward._

"_I hope you remember me, sir. I wanted to come and apologize for hitting you like I did. I just…" her voice cracked._

"_No, no please don't apologize!" Derek held his hands up. "I'm okay, really. Not the first time I've had my nose broken," he smiled and she looked down. She felt so guilty. "Don't look so sad. I'm glad you did what you did. I had no idea that you were speaking the truth that night. Why, if it hadn't been for you, Mr. Jackson would have been killed that night."_

_She winced and Michael's eyes grew wide. This was the girl that jumped in front of him in Bucharest and took a bullet for him. He thought about that for a moment. That night, as he spoke with the police, they played back footage and focused on every movement. They had said if the girl hadn't have been there, the bullet would have hit him directly in the heart. Michael took in a breath and stepped out to meet her. Before he could say a word, she was already gone._

_Derek looked at Michael and then handed him a sunflower. "She brought this for you. Poor girl, all she wanted was forgiveness."_

_Michael took the sunflower and smiled weakly. "I don't get it. Why wouldn't she want to stay to meet me? Why did she risk her own life to save mine? I don't even know who she is."_

"_I don't know, but thank God for her. I don't know what any of us would have done if it had been you that got shot that night," another man put his hand on Michael's shoulder. Michael stood still, trying to come up with his own theories…_

Ramona smiled again at the memory. It had been 2 months since that day and her shoulder had healed up nicely. She still held her place in between two large boulders on the beach. It was very nice and peaceful. She didn't really know what she was doing or really where she would end up, but she was just waiting for God to give her the answers. What to do next.


	2. Chapter 2

Michael wasn't sure what to do with himself anymore. He couldn't get that one horrible night out of his head. Every detail kept playing back in his mind and he couldn't escape it. When he closed his eyes, he would see the pain in the girl's eyes after she'd been shot, but she was still smiling. He just didn't understand it.

He would have nightmares replaying that night almost every single night and it had been 2 months now. He went and saw his doctor and went over everything that had happened. The doctor told him he had insomnia. Michael wasn't so sure about that.

"Insomnia. So much for trusting doctors. They always have to find something wrong with you," Michael snorted as he walked. "Ridiculous."

His mind wouldn't shut up. His heart would race every time that girl's face came into his mind. His heart was speaking to him about this girl. There was something so different about her. He couldn't decide what it was.

Michael walked toward the beach and glanced at one of his body guards. "Is the beach safe?" he asked.

"Yes sir, Mr. Jackson. All clear. We have guards all down the coast just incase," the guard replied.

Michael nodded and moved forward. He found a nice little spot behind a small boulder and sat down. He looked out into the ocean and watched as the sun began to set. He breathed in deep and let out a deep sigh. All tension seemed to melt away when he saw such a beautiful sight.

"Oh, God, thank you. Thank you for this gorgeous sight," he prayed.

He intended on clearing his mind, but before he could even try, he heard footsteps coming closer. He tensed up, not sure of who would come around that corner. Could the guards have somehow missed someone coming through? He didn't want to sign any autographs right now. He just wanted to relax.

As he prepared himself, a beautiful girl in a red flowered sun dress walked into view. She was carrying a small notebook and humming to herself. She didn't wear any shoes. Michael watched her in fascination. He loved to see people how they were, but he rarely got to see that on the streets. Any time he ever tried, someone would call out his name and everyone around him would start acting star struck and insane.

The girl glanced at him and he bit his tongue. He wasn't done watching her before she saw him. He expected her to hand him her notebook and ask for an autograph, or maybe try to hug him or something. Instead, she merely smiled sweetly. No ounce of nervousness or fear in her at all. That was interesting. What was even more interesting was she didn't say a word before she started walking again.

The wind picked up and blew her hair, knocking a pencil out from behind her ear. It fell onto the sand and Michael took this opportunity to speak to her. He stood up and grabbed the pencil and walked toward her.

"Excuse me miss, you dropped this," Michael said politely.

The girl turned slowly and smiled, taking the pencil from him. "Oh, thank you very much."

Michael looked at her curiously. She didn't even ask for his autograph. Was it possible she didn't know who he was? "So, uh, what are you doing out here? I thought the beach was closed," he said carefully.

"Is it? I didn't know. I've been on this beach for a while. Are you enjoying the sunset?" she asked.

"I am, very much. Are you?" he asked.

"I enjoy every sunset, and every sunrise," she took a breath and looked out to the sunset. "It's almost like God painted a picture for us all, just to let us know He is still there."

"I never thought about it like that. Hm," Michael looked into the girl's eyes for a moment before she turned back to him.

"Well, it was nice speaking to you. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Jackson," she smiled again before walking away.

Michael stood frozen. 'She knew who I was the whole time, and yet she remained calm. That was strange,' he thought as he watched her walk down the shore. 'And why does she seem so familiar to me?'

He turned and watched the rest of the sunset, still trying to figure out why she was so calm around him, and why she looked so familiar. As his mind traced her face, he realized not once since seeing that girl did he even think about the other girl that was shot.

Michael stood and brushed himself off. "I feel stupid, I didn't even introduce myself. I have to go apologize," he said to himself. He was very proper and polite. He was raised to always use manners, and he was so dumbfounded by this girl, he forgot to introduce himself. How rude of him, he thought. He walked toward the direction where the girl headed, not sure if he'd find her or not.

As he got further down the coast, he heard her voice. She sounded like she was speaking to someone.

"As she stood frozen in time, Damian called out to her, 'please Alexa, wake up!'. She was everything to him, and he to her, but not even his voice could wake her up. Their love was like no other, a test in time, no no not that. Hm, burning love of desire? No," she growled at herself. Michael chuckled as he came into her view.

"How about, a formidable love that stood the trials of time?" he offered.

Ramona smiled at him and nodded. "I like that. Thank you," she wrote it down and then closed her notebook. "Did you enjoy the sunset?"

"I did. How about you?" he smiled.

She nodded. "Sure did."

Michael glanced around for a moment. She was sitting in front of a large tent. There was a telescope sitting to the side and a lantern hanging just outside the entrance of the tent. "Do you camp out here?" he asked.

"You could say that. I live here," she smiled weakly.

Michael paused. "You're homeless?" he asked.

"No, silly. You are standing on my front porch," she giggled.

Michael cracked a smile. At least she was in good spirits about it. "By the way, I feel so rude for not properly introducing myself," he leaned forward to help her up. She took his hand and stood up. "I'm Michael Jackson," he smiled.

She grinned. "I know who you are. I'm Ramona Greene. Nice to meet you, again," she winked and shook his hand.

He cocked his head to the side. She shook her head and stopped shaking his hand. "What?" he asked.

Ramona shrugged and then hugged him. He hesitated for a moment before he returned her hug. He couldn't help but feel so calm. He hugged her tightly, like he had been friends with her for years. When they parted, she smiled again. "That's more like it."

"Thank you, but what was that for?" he asked.

"Nothing in general. I have always been the one to hug someone when I first meet them. It's how I say hello in the best way possible," she said.

'This girl is a lot like me,' Michael thought. "Same here."

Ramona smiled again. They spoke briefly like that for a few minutes before Ramona paused in mid sentence. "Hang on," she put her hand on his arm and snuck around one of the boulders.

She saw a few girls walking together toward her. She listened as they spoke. "I can't believe Michael Jackson is on this beach! I'm gonna get his autograph!" one girl squealed.

"I'm gonna ask him to marry me!" another girl said.

Ramona rolled her eyes and then turned back to Michael. "Get in the tent," she said quickly.

Michael raised a brow. "But we just met." He teased. She gave him a look and he held up his hands. "I'm kidding. What's wrong?"

"Some of your fans are coming, and unless you want to be proposed to or have some of your hair ripped off, you better hide," Ramona said as she pushed him into the tent.

He jumped in and she zipped the door shut and moved to the windows to shut them as well. She turned the lantern off and Michael watched her closely. "You look like this isn't the first time you've done this," he said amusingly.

"First time hiding a celebrity in my tent, yes. Not the first time hiding myself. Get into the sleeping bag and hide your face," she said. Michael tucked himself in and hid. His excitement had him wiggling his toes and Ramona smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Hey, look a tent. Let's see if he's in there!" Ramona heard the voices just outside the tent. "Hello?"

Ramona stood still, hoping they would just take the hint and leave. She wasn't so lucky. They began trying to open the door and Ramona popped her head out of the door. "Can I help you?" she said irritated.

"Oh, sorry. We heard Michael Jackson was on the beach. Is he in there with you?" a girl asked.

Ramona rolled her eyes. "Yea, as if! Do you think I'd be in here if Michael Jackson was on this beach? I'd be out looking for him. I doubt he's here, it's been quiet. Now please leave. My husband and I are trying to sleep," she said.

The girls glanced over her shoulder and saw a man lying in the sleeping bag behind her. They nodded and moved on their way. Ramona sat back and let out a breath of relief. "This is why I don't get along with most females."

Michael grinned as he sat up. "Well, thank you for putting up with them for me. I owe you one."

"Actually, we're even after you gave me that pointer in my story. Maybe you should write your own book," Ramona nudged him.

"I don't have that kind of patience," he chuckled. He glanced at his watch and stood up. "I'd like to read more of your story sometime," he smiled.

"Whenever you want is fine with me. I'll be here," she said.

"How about tomorrow then?" he asked.

Ramona raised a brow at him. "You aren't busy recording or touring, or just being you?" she asked.

He laughed. "Nah, I have some free time, unless you just don't want me around," he made a sad face and Ramona laughed. He grinned before heading for the door. "I'll be back around sunset, Ramona."

She blushed a little at hearing him say her name. She was thankful it was dark. Michael couldn't see her face. "I'll be here."

She walked out with him and glanced around for more people before she gave him the all clear. She waved at him and he took one long last look at her as he walked around the boulder. Why the hell did that girl look so damned familiar? He shook it off as he headed for his car.

"Look! It's Michael! I knew it!" a few screams let out and Michael gulped.

"Oh shit," he said before taking off as fast as he could. The girls took off after him and Ramona watched from her boulder.

'God I hope he gets away,' she thought as she watched him disappear.

"Red alert, Charlie!" Michael yelled as he neared the parking lot. Charlie, his driver, started up the SUV and pulled the door open just in time for Michael to dive into the back and they drove off toward Neverland.

Michael heaved and Charlie looked into the rearview mirror. "Did you have fun today, Mr. Jackson?"

"Yeah, despite almost being pummeled to death, coming to the beach was worth it. I wanna come back tomorrow," he smiled to himself.

"Very good, sir," Charlie nodded as he drove Michael back to the safety of his home.

As Ramona went to sleep that night, she breathed into her pillow. She was worried he didn't get away from those girls. She knew he was used to this, but he seemed to be by himself. He had to have had some guards nearby, at least.

'He'll be okay,' she told herself.

**When are you gonna tell him who you are? **Her mind questioned her.

"He knows who I am," she answered.

**He doesn't know you are the one from Bucharest. Why didn't you tell him?**

Ramona turned over and put her hand over her scar. "Because it's not important."

**He needs to know, don't you think? You are keeping him from something important.**

"The only important thing to me is that he isn't hurt." She closed her eyes and ignored the rest of her thoughts. She didn't know what was going to happen in the near future. All she knew was that she and Michael seemed to have become friends and he hasn't recognized her yet. She didn't want him to know. She knew he would feel like he needed to make it up to her, but him just being alive and well was thanking her enough.

One thing was for sure, if they were going to stay friends for a long period of time, which she hoped for, she would have to eventually tell him the truth.

"Not until the time is right," she breathed out before she fell into a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Ramona got up and headed into town. She wandered around for a while and picked up a few groceries and the local newspaper as well. She also stopped by a coffee shop and bought herself a frozen cappuccino. As she walked down the sidewalk in town, she heard some people talking nearby.

"Did you hear about that girl that saved MJ in Bucharest?" one girl asked.

Another lady nodded. "Yeah, she's got some guts. I wonder if she thought she was going to die. Could you imagine?"

Ramona glanced over her shoulder as she listened. 'Yeah, I guess that thought didn't really cross my mind until it was too late,' she thought.

**Would it have mattered even if you did think about it? **Her mind asked.

'I suppose not,' she thought.

She shook her head and headed back to the beach. She stretched out on one of the boulders and opened the newspaper. It seemed there was to be some sort of meteor shower tonight. Good thing she had her telescope with her. That would be a marvelous sight to see.

_Meanwhile…_

"Okay, so I am thinking the black suit with red lining for the border. How does that sound, Mr. Jackson?" Michael's producer, Kenny Ortega asked.

Michael stared at the floor, lost deep in thought. 'I wonder how she's doing today. I wonder what she's doing. What does she write about, and who will she write about next? Hmm, Ramona. Why can't I get her out of my mind?' his mind skipped through a few images of Ramona from the previous day.

"Hello? Michael?" Kenny interrupted his thoughts.

"Hm?" Michael glanced up at him and saw that he was standing in front of him holding up a black suit in one hand and red fabric in his other hand. "Oh, I'm sorry Kenny. Black with red sounds fine," he mumbled.

"What's with you, Michael? Are you still troubled over what happened in Bucharest? I can assure you that will not happen to you again under my watch," Kenny said.

Michael blinked a few times and his mind sifted through more images. This time, it was of the girl from Bucharest. He watched the scene as it replayed in his mind. When the bullet hit her, he heard a scream. He sat up, alarmed, only to find his little cousins screaming as they chased each other just outside the door.

"You're it!" one boy yelled.

"No, you're it!" the girl yelled back.

"Nu uh!"

"Yes huh!"

Michael smiled and shook his head as he stood up and headed for the door. "We'll talk about the wardrobe later, Kenny. I need to take a break for a while. You understand, right?" he glanced back at Kenny and he nodded slowly. "Thanks," he turned back to the door and stepped outside. "Hey, no need to argue. Besides, I believe I'm it!" he yelled as he began chasing his little cousins through the yard. They squealed and giggled as they ran from him.

He chased them around the ranch for a few hours before he had finally had enough. He stopped by the pool to rest. One of the family friends had a video camera out and he started taping Michael.

"So, Michael…tell the people how you taught yourself to dance," he smiled.

Michael looked at him and grinned. "Well, it's not easy. It takes a lot of good eye and hand coordination," he paused as his cousins ran around behind him. They froze when he looked their way and gave him an innocent look. He eyed them and turned back to the camera only to be pushed into the pool with his clothes on.

He laughed with them and got out. He ringed his clothes out and pulled his hair into a ponytail to ring it out. He slipped his wet shirt off and put on a white robe and was then pushed into the pool once again. "Come on guys! I was just beginning to dry off!" he yelled and laughed at the same time. He climbed out and ran from them, sliding his robe off and running through the yard without a shirt on. He picked up a shirt on the clothes line as he ran and turned on the kids. They giggled and ran off as he chased them.

He followed one of his cousins around the ranch and thought about throwing her into the pool until she jumped onto the trampoline that was built into the ground. Michael smiled and joined her. He couldn't help himself. He loved to play.

"Michael, come inside and eat something," one of the maids called for him.

"Be right there, Marie!" he called back. He ran inside after he rounded up his little cousins and they all ate together.

Marie draped a towel over Michael's shoulders as he ate. "Looks like your little cousins are getting the better of you," she teased.

"They are definitely getting faster," Michael agreed.

One of the boys snickered. "Or maybe Applehead is getting too old to keep up."

"Hey," Michael laughed with them. They finished eating and Michael took a nice long shower. He walked into his closet looking for something decent to wear tonight when he would be going back to watch the sunset with Ramona. When he finally decided on a military style jacket and black pants and a white undershirt, he dried his hair and stepped outside. As he neared the pool looking for his cousins to say his goodbyes, they rounded the corner and began pushing him toward the pool again. "Don't do this! No! I'm a nice person! I just took a shower! And I washed my hair thoroughly! No! Ahh!" he yelled as they pushed him in.

When he emerged, they all were laughing on the floor. Michael gave them a lopsided grin and shook his head. 'This is going to be a long evening,' he thought.

Meanwhile…

Ramona sat on the coast and watched the sun as it began to set. She took in a deep breath when the breeze hit her face. "And the sun bends down to kiss the horizon, just as the stars come out to play in their own little mystical playground that we so simply named the sky," she mumbled. "Ohh, that was good," she complimented herself and reached for her notebook and wrote it down.

'I wonder what happened to Michael,' she thought. 'I guess I shouldn't be so surprised he didn't make it. I'd be crazy to think someone like him would have time to hang out with someone like me.'

**Why do you do that to yourself? **Her mind asked her. **You're a good person and Michael noticed that. Why can't you?**

Ramona shook her head at herself. She stood up as the sun finally set and she went back to her tent and set up her telescope. She watched the sky a moment before she decided to pull out her IPod and her battery powered IPod player. She played a slow instrumental song and sang as she waited for the meteor shower to begin.

"I can almost see it, that dream I'm dreaming but, there's a voice inside my head saying, you'll never reach it…" she sang out.

Michael crouched around the trees as he hurried to Ramona's tent, trying to make sure he wasn't seen. The darkness seemed to help him quite a bit. He decided to wear all black including his black fedora. He put his hat over his eyes as he neared the two boulders that hid Ramona's tent. He loved playing around even if it was just himself. He put his back against the boulder and slid across it very slowly. "Agent M is on the mission," he whispered against his wrist. He paused when he heard singing. As he got closer, he realized it was Ramona. He peaked around the boulder and saw her sitting on a lounge chair. She was singing into the sky, and it was a beautiful song, with her beautiful voice.

"Every step I'm taking, every move I make feels lost with no direction, and my faith is shaken. But I…I gotta keep trying. Gotta keep my head held high," she slowly stood up and moved to the music. Michael became almost hypnotized. He never saw anyone move like this on their own, no audience, no stage. This was just Ramona, being herself. Ramona in her own little world. Michael was completely and utterly fascinated.

"There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes I'm gonna have to lose. It aint about how fast I get there, it aint about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb…" Ramona sang.

Michael recognized this song. He only heard it once but he knew it from watching Hannah Montana with his little cousins and his brothers' kids too. As she sang, she moved as if her body was telling the story. He watched for a moment and she barely started the next verse when he sneezed. She jumped and stopped the song.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he stepped out and took his hat off.

"Oh, it's okay," she blushed. "Um, how long have you been there?"

"Long enough. You have such a beautiful voice, Ramona," he smiled at her and she blushed even more.

"Thanks," she looked away. 'Thank you God for the darkness. I think I'd die of embarrassment if he saw how red I am,' she thought.

"Nice telescope," Michael moved forward and ran his fingers over it carefully. "May I?" he asked.

"Go right ahead," she smiled, thankful he changed the subject. "I heard there was supposed to be a meteor shower tonight. I was hoping I would be able to catch some of it with my telescope here, but I'm not so confident anymore," she said.

"Why's that?" he asked as he looked through the lens.

"I don't think it's powerful enough to pick up meteors."

"Well, they do move fast. This telescope is pretty powerful though," he said. He moved it around and caught sight of Saturn. "Oh my, that is incredible!" he gasped. He looked up from the lens and looked over his shoulder at Ramona.

"What?" she asked.

He held his hand out to her. "Come here and see," he said.

She smiled and took his hand. He pulled her to him and she bent down to look into the lens. "Oh wow," she said. She could see the rings of Saturn very clearly. "I had no idea my telescope could pick this up. This is amazing!" she said.

"Yes, it really is. It makes life more worth while, doesn't it?" Michael said as he looked at the stars. "Just when you thought you couldn't take it anymore, you stumble across one of God's little miracles and then suddenly, you are reborn."

Ramona smiled at him. She loved the way he saw life. They studied the stars for a moment before they moved to the top of the boulder and lay next to each other on a blanket. "I'm glad you were able to get away last night. I'm sorry you had to deal with that," Ramona said after a moment of silence.

"It's okay, really. I'm used to it," Michael admitted.

"I don't know how you do it. Having people chasing you all your life. No wonder you stay in such good shape," she said.

Michael chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the dancing," he said sarcastically.

"Yeah, I guess I didn't really think about that," she giggled.

Michael rose up on his elbow and studied her for a moment. "Tell me about yourself, Ramona. What makes you tick?"

Ramona raised a brow at him. "Um, my heartbeat?"

Michael laughed. "You are something else, you know?"

"Well I try to be," she smiled at him.

He took in a breath and started to speak again when Ramona's eyes lit up. Michael looked up as the meteor shower began. He lay back and they watched the incredible sight together for a while before he spoke again. "I want to be honest with you. I don't know what it is, but coming here makes me feel like I haven't a care in the world. I feel like no one can hurt me here."

"Kind of like Neverland?" she asked.

"In a way, yes. But even in Neverland, I always feel like I'm being watched. I have people around me that say they are my friends, but they are only my friends because of my name and who I am. All for publicity or money. You seem completely different to me. How can you act so calm around me?"

She rose up on her elbow and shrugged. "Well, I'll admit at first I was a bit star struck, but after speaking with you one on one, and spending this time with you, I realize you are so easy to talk to and to get along with. You are only human, and you shouldn't be treated like some science experiment," she said.

Michael noticed near the end of her sentence, she sounded a bit angry. He liked that. "You say I'm just like everyone else, right?" he asked.

"No, not at all," she said. He looked at her in a confused way. "You are human, a very talented human. Everyone else means the rest of the world's population, and not everyone is talented like you. Some people can sing but can't dance, like me. Others can dance but they sound like a dying cow when they try to sing," she paused as Michael laughed a little. "But the one thing that separates you from everyone else is your heart. You have the biggest heart that most people only dream of having."

Michael smiled and rose up to hug her. "Thank you. Thank you for letting me open up to you like this," he smiled when he pulled back.

"Thanks for being here to talk to me. It's nice having a conversation with someone that doesn't look at you like they want something else that you are in no way, shape, or form even going to consider giving," she shivered and he grinned. "To be serious though, you can always come and talk to me when you need a verbal punching bag."

"You don't judge," Michael stated more than asked.

"It's not my place to judge anyone. That's up to God," she smiled and he smiled back.

Michael slowly stood up and helped her up. "Well, I'd better be hitting the old dusty trail," he added a country accent to his voice as he placed his hat on his head.

"Right," Ramona giggled. "You do that. Just make sure your old dusty trail isn't being followed by a bunch of your fans," she teased.

He looked around before they both climbed down. "I seem to be covered, but just in case…" he grabbed nearby tree branch and handed it to her. "Sweep over my footprints and cover me, will ya?"

Ramona laughed. "I'll do that, cowboy."

He tipped his hat to her and hugged her. "Same time tomorrow?"

"I'll be here," she smiled.

"Great," he winked and disappeared into the dark of the night.

"Great," she whispered to herself as she smiled. She stretched and yawned and disappeared into her tent. She curled up under her sleeping bag and breathed in deep once more before drifting off to sleep. "Great," she breathed out.


	4. Chapter 4

That night as Michael walked into the house, Kenny Ortega stopped him in the hallway. Michael raised a brow at his producer's frustrated features.

Michael gave him a sheepish grin and held his arms out wide. "Honey, I'm home!" he said with a chuckle.

"Mike," he sighed. "Where have you been? I have been waiting for you for hours."

Michael shrugged. "I told you I needed a break."

Kenny rolled his eyes but decided not to push it. Michael was the boss, after all. He was the one who got to call the shots. "Did you get what you needed? Are you at peace now?" he asked sarcastically.

Michael looked at his feet, trying to hide the unmistakable twinkle in his eye. Saying he was at peace would be putting it lightly. In fact, he had no idea why, but he had never been more peaceful than he was at that very moment.

"Knock knock!" came a woman's smooth voice from the front door. Lisa Marie walked in and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. "Hey sweetie, how was the concert?"

Michael almost grumbled. How could she not know about Bucharest? It was all over the news! "It was…eventful," he bit his tongue at the mere thought of that night.

Kenny raised his eyebrow at both of them. "Eventful wouldn't be the word of my choice, if you ask me."

"Michael shot him a warning look. "I didn't ask. What did you need, Kenny?"

He really didn't want Lisa to know the details of that night. If he knew her like he thought he did, she would be giving him a 2 hour long lecture about how he should have been more prepared for something like that. That was the last thing he needed right now, to feel stupid over something that was clearly not in his control.

'And that poor girl,' he shook his head and continued to give Kenny the eye.

Kenny froze for a moment before pulling out his notepad from his jacket pocket. "Colors, and lights, tempo. We need a lot actually."

"Ugh," Michael grumbled. "Okay, let's just head to the Staples Center tomorrow afternoon and I'll see what I can do."

"Um, honey, you can't go tomorrow. You will be busy," Lisa spoke up as Michael turned to walk away. She almost winced when his entire body froze up. She could feel his tension rising.

"Busy? Doing what, dare I ask?" he said in a frustrated tone.

"An interview," she said carefully. Kenny took a step back. He knew Michael hated interviews.

His shoulders slumped and he slowly turned to face her. Lisa almost huffed at his child like features. He looked like a kid getting ready to argue that he didn't want to go to school today. She hated it when he acted childish.

"Another interview? I hate this. Okay, who is it with and how long will it take? I have a life you know."

"I hate to break it to you, dear, but this is your life. Whatever it is you think is more important than publicity right now will just have to come in second. It's in Japan. You leave first thing in the morning."

"Pardon?" he asked, teeth clenched.

**Great. You promised Ramona you would be spending the evenings with her. How can you just go back on that promise?** his mind tormented him. He hated breaking promises of any kind, no matter what they were.

"You're going to Ja-"

"Don't say it again!" he held his hand in front of her face. "I need to go somewhere. I'll be back…whenever," he turned toward the front door. He just had to go see Ramona one more time. She deserved to know he was going away for a few days. He didn't want her to think he abandoned her.

"No, you need to go to bed, Mikey. It's almost midnight. You won't be as bright and cheery as you need to be for the cameras," Lisa perked.

He nearly rolled his eyes. 'Anything for publicity.' He glanced down at his watch and noticed how right Lisa was. It was rather late and Ramona would probably be asleep. He didn't want to wake her up just to make her sad.

"Fine. Goodnight everyone," Michael slumped his shoulders and headed for the stairs. He stopped next to Lisa and kissed her cheek. "Are you coming to bed with me?" he tried to be playful with her and when she paused to think. "Please?" he poked her and gave her his most adorable innocent look.

She slapped his hand away and snorted. "I can't go play around under the sheets with you, Mike. I have work to attend to. Besides, we have another interview to book with someone very big."

"Oh by all means, keep them coming," he mumbled. By that time, Kenny had slipped out of the room and left for the night. Lisa eyed him as he made his way to his bedroom for the night.

"What was that?" she asked.

Mike glanced over his shoulder and smiled sweetly. "I said I love you. Goodnight sweet buns," he almost laughed when she huffed.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

Michael shrugged and escaped to his room. Lisa folded her arms and shook her head as she left for the night as well. She wasn't too fond of dating Michael Jackson. Sure it sounded great to her at first, but after seeing how childish he was and that he couldn't be serious even for a second, it just itched at her nerves. Why couldn't he be more mature like her father?

Michael plopped down on his bed before he set his alarm and threw his hat across the room. 'I just hope Ramona will be okay.'

A couple of days later…

Ramona sat at her little tent and wrote the last of her story in her little notebook. She smiled as she held it in front of her.

"Finally finished," she said proudly. "I wonder if Michael would like something like this," she thought out loud.

Michael…she wondered where he was. The last time she saw him, he had said he would be seeing her the next night. She didn't think too much into why he did this to her and all of that drama. Ramona just didn't see things the way most females did. She was sure he had gotten busy with something else.

"As long as he's okay, then so am I," she said.

She stood up and stretched in the sun. Her head tilted back as she enjoyed the way the sun warmed her skin. She went back into her tent and changed into a simple bathing suit and her jean shorts and decided to go for a swim. Her suit was a one piece red suit that covered most of her body. She had a bad scar she didn't want to show off, so she left the two pieces in the store windows where they belonged.

The sides had cut outs on both sides to show what she figured was the only decent part of her body. She ran along the shore to get out her exercise for the day before she jumped into an oncoming wave. She loved swimming in the ocean. Another one of God's greatest creations.

She lay back and floated for a few moments. The waves weren't that harsh today, so floating wasn't risky for now. There were only a handful of tourists on the beach today and a few surfers swam her way.

"What's cookin' good lookin'?" one of them asked. Ramona sat up and squinted her eyes from the sunlight. He was a tall blonde man, maybe in his early 30's. Typical surfer attitude and looks. His friends floated around him, all on their own surf boards. Ramona wasn't the least bit impressed.

"I was cooking before you blocked my sun. Now if you will excuse me, I have a life to get back to," she swam back to shore and shook her head.

'Some guys are just complete airheads,' she thought. When she reached the shore, she rung out her hair and flipped it over one shoulder. She glanced back at the guys to see if they were watching her and was relieved when she saw them already scouting after another woman on the beach. She went back to her tent and grabbed a towel and a change of clothes before she headed for the local gym.

After working out for a bit and taking a quick shower, she decided to grab some food and head back to her beach. When her feet hit the sand, the wind suddenly changed. A storm was moving in. It didn't bother her all that much. She simply staked down her tent and buried herself in her sleeping bag for the night. The boulders usually kept her small home well protected from Mother Nature's violent mood swings.

As she hunkered down for the night, she pulled out her lantern and her journal and began to write.

**This is week 24 since I have moved into my little beach tent. I guess I really should be looking for a better place to live. I like it here, though. No one seems to bother me. A few surfers were spying on me during my afternoon swim. I hated being so mean to them, but I hate being interrupted during my peaceful time.**

**The funny thing is, I haven't been completely peaceful since the last night I spent with Michael. Being in his presence is like being one with his spirit. It's hard to explain. When he's next to me, I feel his heart beating in tune with mine and all I want to do is lay back and relax.**

**It's silly to say that about a man I just recently met, but it's very true. Now I know what all of his friends meant about being in his presence when I saw them being interviewed on TV. **

**I'm really starting to miss my best friend. I know he didn't leave me on purpose. I just hope he's okay…**

Ramona jumped as a crash of thunder ripped through the sky and her tent started to come unlatched. "Oh boy…" she grasped the sides of the tent, trying to hold it down. The wind was rather violent this time around.

Meanwhile…

"_Hurricane has just hit the coast of Santa Monica. Winds are being reported up to 80 mph and is expected to get worse as the storm approaches. Anyone in the area is advised to stay indoors. This is a very deadly storm…"_

"Turn it off, Charlie. Head toward the beach," Michael demanded. He sat on the edge of his seat in the SUV and bit his nails.

His trip to Japan had certainly not been a fun one. He landed a few hours ago only to learn that a hurricane was approaching Santa Monica beach where Ramona currently resided. His stomach churned.

"I don't know how close I can get without the car being flipped, Mr. Jackson," Charlie replied, stepping on the gas and avoiding tree branches flying across the road.

"Just get as close as you can. I'll run if I have to," he gritted his teeth. "I shouldn't have left, Charlie. She could be hurt because of me," he mumbled.

"Don't do that to yourself, Mr. Jackson. There was no predicting this monster storm. And I'm sure she is fine. If she has been on that beach for as long as you say she has, I think she can take care of herself."

"Yeah, you're right," he hesitated and then took a deep breath as they neared the beach. A rather large tree uprooted and fell onto the road in front of them. Michael stumbled into the floor as Charlie slammed on the breaks.

"That's as far as I can go, Mr. Jackson," Charlie said hesitantly.

"Alright, keep your headlights on and watch for me. Agent M is on a rescue mission this time," he jumped out of the SUV and ran as fast as his legs could carry him toward those 2 familiar boulders.

As he rounded the corner, the tent was nearly in shreds. Ramona's things were scattered around everywhere and Michael felt like he could cry. Before he could think, a large wave crashed into the back of his legs and almost knocked him over. The water was moving in fast and Ramona's little home would be swept away in minutes.

He jumped forward and tore into what was left of the tent. He pulled the stakes away and the tent flew away and wrapped around a tree about a mile away. Ramona's lantern flew back and shattered on the boulder behind where the tent used to be. There in the center of it all, was a little ball rolled up into a sleeping back.

Michael fell to his knees as another wave hit. He pulled open the bag to meet a pair of blue eyes full of fear and now, an ounce of relief. Without speaking, she hugged him tightly.

"Michael, you're alright!" she yelled.

He hugged her back without hesitation and let out a sigh of relief. "Ramona, are you hurt?"

She pulled back and looked around. "No, I think I'm alright. What now?" she asked as another wave approached. She pulled her notebook and journal away from the water as it rushed in, knocking them both against the boulders. Michael shielded her from the pounding waves and she clung on to him to keep him from being pulled into the current.

"I have us a ride waiting. Let's get out of here before it gets worse!" he yelled over the loud rumbles of thunder and waves. She nodded and took his hand and together they ran toward the SUV. Charlie saw them and pulled the door open just as they neared the vehicle. They both jumped in at the same time and Ramona landed on Michael.

She collapsed on his chest as he slammed the door shut and Charlie took off toward Michael's home.

"That was insane," she panted.

"But fun," Michael panted back. They both paused as they noticed their positions. Michael was lying on his back on the floor and Ramona was lying on his chest. Faces merely inches apart. Ramona blushed a rather bright shade of red and Michael cleared his throat as they both sat up quickly. "Agent M, mission complete."

Ramona raised her brow at him and he shrugged. "Agent M? From Men in Black?" he nodded and she burst into giggles. "That's awesome."

"Why yes, yes I am," Michael smiled and brushed his shoulders off.

Ramona rolled her eyes and then picked herself off of the floor and into the seat. She sighed after a moment and looked over her notebook and journal. "Damn, looks like the only entry of my journal that didn't get destroyed is my first entry," she paused as she looked at her notebook. "At least my story made it."

"How many entries did you have?" Michael asked as he sat up in the seat next to her.

"About 24 weeks worth. It was full of all the things I've been through since I arrived on that beach."

"Can I see what you have?"

Ramona shot her head up after a moment. "Uh, no. I think not. You can read my story though," she grinned at him, hoping he would drop it. She wasn't so lucky.

"I'll read the story, but I want to read the journal first," he leaned forward and reached for it and she snatched it away.

"No way! A journal is a personal thing. Don't you have a journal?"

Michael bit his lip in amusement. "Yes but I never have the time to write in it."

"Well maybe you should start so you can leave mine alone," she snorted and he laughed. She smiled before sighing again. "What am I gonna do now?" she thought out loud. She almost forgot Michael was right next to her. She was used to asking herself for advice.

"Well, for tonight at least, you are going to come stay with me. I have a nice guest room with locks on every door. High security too," Michael crossed his leg over the other and sat back in thought.

"I don't want to impose," she started.

"You aren't imposing and don't argue with me, Ray. I'm stubborn and I will win," Mike brushed his damp hair over his shoulder like a snooty cheerleader and Ramona bit back a laugh.

"Yeah, okay but I am not going to be some freeloader. I will do some work around the house while I'm there. In the mean time, I will look for a new place to live." 

"If you count playing games with me as work, then sure. Work all you want. But you will have some fun. Being under my roof…"

"I live by your rules, I know, I get it. Sheesh…" Ramona crossed her arms and he chuckled. His smile slowly faded for a moment.

"Hey, you don't mind me calling you Ray, do you?"

"Nah, I like nick names. You can call me whatever you want," she winked at him and he grinned widely.

"How about, Snookie?"

"Only if I can call you Sugar Tits," she shot back without hesitation and he nearly fell out of his chair in laughter.

"That, I wasn't expecting. Okay, I'll make you a deal. You can call me Sugar Tits and I can call you Snookie, as long as we're not in public."

Ramona nodded and shook his hand. "Deal," Charlie cleared his throat from the driver seat as they pulled inside the gates of Neverland. "Well…sort of."

Michael laughed and took Ramona's hand as they ran through the rain inside the house. He gave her a quick tour and took her to the guest room before retreating to his own room for the night. Both took showers and crawled into bed. Ramona fell asleep instantly, having been in the first bed she's touched in a very long time.

Before Michael fell asleep, he stared at the ceiling wondering what to do next. He really wanted to help her get a new place of her own, but would she freak out if he spent money on her?

**Like it matters. Your rules, remember?**

"My rules, yes. And my heart," he thought for a moment. "My heart is telling me to do everything I can for her. She's my best friend, and she deserves the best."

Michael turned over a few plans in his mind before he yawned deeply and stretched out across his bed. "A new place for Ramona, and for me, I will find out what that first journal entry says."


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Michael woke up before the sun rose into the sky. He stretched and cracked his back a few times before he stood and yawned deeply. He felt amazingly wonderful. He hadn't remembered the last time he slept so well. He slowly made his way to the kitchen and decided he wanted to make breakfast for Ramona.

"You're up early, Michael. Are you having trouble sleeping, dear?" one of the maids, Marie asked. She was the only worker in the ranch that addressed him by his first name. She was like a second mother to him.

"Quite the contrary, I slept like a rock. I just thought I would surprise Ray with one of my famous egg omelets," Michael smiled as Marie's eyes lit up. "She did after all, lose her home last night."

"Poor child. What are you gonna do?" Marie asked.

"I'm not sure," he pondered as he worked around the kitchen. "I want to help her. I'm gonna help her somehow. Where to start is the hard part."

"Well, why not find out more about her first? See what she enjoys and see if you can match her with a good career with whatever it is she's good at. Then help her find that job."

"Hm, she did try to insist on working around the house. She said 'I don't wanna be a freeloader, Mike'." Michael tried his best to mock Ramona and Marie giggled.

"Horrible impersonation, dear. But if she wants to help, she can stick by me," Michael shot her a look and she held up her hand. "I won't overdo it, no worries. I'll just make her think she's doing more than she really is," she winked at him when he finally smiled.

Michael dug around in the cabinets and continued working hard on breakfast. Soon, the smell wafted through the house and his stomach growled. "Damn, it's hard not to give in to temptation and dig in right now," he mumbled.

"Do you need any help?" she asked.

"No no. Omelets are one thing I do know how to make. You go on to bed. I've got this," he smiled at her and she nodded and stood up.

"Okay, well just an FYI, the fire extinguisher is in the hall closet."

"Beat it!" he threw a dish towel at her and she giggled and went on her way. Pretty soon, breakfast was ready and Michael set the plates out. Before he could load the plates with food, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and hugged him tightly. He blushed at the contact and his heart fluttered. "Good morning to you too," he smiled.

He turned to hug the owner of those arms and hesitated when he saw that it wasn't Ramona standing behind him. Lisa frowned when she saw his reaction. "What's with that look?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

"What look? I'm just not awake yet, that's all," Michael searched for a good excuse before turning back to the kitchen counter.

"If you're not awake, you wouldn't be making breakfast for two. I didn't tell you I was coming and I just saw Marie going to bed, so who's here, Michael?" she tapped her foot and he let out a low breath. He hated when she tapped her foot like that.

"No one you need to worry about," he said as honestly as he could. He didn't want to lie and tell her no one was there. However, Ramona was someone she really didn't need to worry about.

"What is it you're not telling me?"

Before Michael could answer, Ramona came out in simple blue silk pajama pants and a large blue shirt that belonged to Michael. He left them out for her the night before since she had no clothes to wear at the time. She stretched as she walked and then froze when she saw two sets of eyes staring at her. One set was very dark and cold and it sent chills down her spine.

"Uh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?" Ramona asked carefully.

"No."

"Yes." Lisa spat at the same time Michael replied. Michael gave Lisa a warning look and she simply huffed at him. "So who is she, honey? And why is she in your clothes?"

Ramona starting thinking fast. Michael seemed to be at a loss for words. She was certainly taken aback, not even knowing he had any kind of relationship with Lisa Marie. Sure, it was a rumor, but no one ever talked about it. Not anymore. Michael especially. It almost stung a little that he hadn't shared that with her. Then she noticed the sting was actually physical. Her scar was burning. She shook her head and took a step toward Lisa who instinctively took a step back.

"I'm sorry, I know what this must look like. My name is Ra-"

"I don't care! All I wanna know is who you are to my boyfriend and why you are dressed in his clothes!"

Michael scrambled for words and Ramona knew all to well that he had a hard time lying. She had to do it for him. "Just a friend, I assure you. I'm actually here to surprise Janet. She and I have been friends for years and Michael here is helping me surprise her by allowing me to stay in his guest room until she comes back from her tour."

Lisa seemed to chew on this for a moment before she finally relaxed a little. "You shouldn't be in his clothes."

"I know. I feel a little weird about this too, but I lost my suitcase at the airport. I have nothing to go on right now. No clothes, no money…"

She snorted before Ramona could finish and looked back at Michael before grabbing one of the two omelets and threw it on a paper plate before heading for the door. She stopped and turned back to give Michael a rather passionate kiss in front of Ramona. Michael hesitated before briefly returning the kiss.

She pulled away and glanced back at Ramona before looking back at Michael. "Buy the peasant some decent clothes. I hate seeing any woman in your clothes except for me."

She walked out the front door and Ramona let out a breath she had been holding in. "Well, that was pleasant."

"I am so sorry…" Michael held his hands out to Ramona and she took a step back.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. Please don't. I came into your home, your life. You just live your life and I will do my best to live mine. It will just be next to yours," Ramona rambled until the pain shot through her chest and shoulder where her scar was and she sucked in a breath and placed her hand over it.

"Are you okay?" Michael walked over to her and placed a hand on her arm. She pulled away slowly. "Did you get hurt in the storm? Let me see…" he reached to move the sleeve over her shoulder and she pushed his hand away lightly.

"No, no I'm fine, I promise. I think I just slept on it wrong."

Michael seemed to buy that and he went back for the kitchen and threw her a bottle of pain killers. "Are you hungry? I made my specialty."

Ramona popped a couple of pills and smiled at him. "The great Michael Jackson cooks?"

"Yep. But I won't stand here forever, so decide," he stood with his arms folded near the stove. Ramona nodded and he grinned before making her an omelet and finally joining her at the dinner table.

After breakfast, Ramona stretched and grabbed their plates. Michael watched her carefully as she went to do the dishes and he rolled his eyes. "What are you doing?"

Ramona looked up at him from the sink and raised an eyebrow. "Surely you couldn't be that dense." Michael stood and leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. "It's called doing the dishes. Is that okay with you?" she said playfully.

"No. I want you to play, not work," Michael pouted and Ramona thought for a moment.

"Are you sure about that?" Michael nodded. "You're absolutely positive? You won't change your mind?" Michael huffed and she grinned. "Fine, I'll play…" she reached up with the sprayer and soaked Michael. He yelped and moved back before glaring at her. "Tag, you're it!" she took off running through the house and Michael eyed her retreating form.

"Oh you are so going down!" he yelled as he chased her.

Ramona had no idea where she was going, but she just continued to run. She ran through every room and attempted to hide but Michael was never far off of her trail. She slid down the steps and ran out the back door and tried to hide behind a rather large tree. She tried to pant quietly as she caught her breath and listened for Michael at the same time.

She glanced around the tree to look back at the house and a pair of arms grabbed her from behind. "Gotcha!" he yelled and she screamed and pulled away and started running again. "You can never outrun me!" he taunted her and she rolled her eyes.

Too bad he had the upper hand and she had no idea where she was going because a few moments later she found herself by the pool.

'Oh shit,' she thought right as Michael tackled her into the pool.

They both emerged laughing and Ramona splashed him. "This is so not over, Thriller man!"

"Far from it actually, Snookie. So, would you like to go shopping for some new clothes?"

"Sure, I guess. As long as you don't go overboard, Sugar Tits," she smiled as he helped her out of the pool.

"I never go overboard. Let's go get ready and head out. Meet me by the piano when you're ready to go," Michael said as they walked back to the house. Ramona nodded and headed for her room. She searched the random clothes Michael had Marie set out for her. A few of them were Janet's old clothes. She settled on black jeans and a black and white t-shirt with black boots.

She sat back on the bed and pulled out her journal and thought about adding a new entry. She shook her head as she thought about it and went into the kitchen with her journal. She stood over the trash and ripped out her ruined pages one by one. She was almost sad she'd lost those memories, because after meeting Michael, surely her life would never be the same again.

She sighed and set her journal on the bar in the kitchen and backed up before she ran into someone. She turned quickly. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you…there…" she trailed off as she recognized the body guard from Bucharest. Derek.

"It's quite alright, miss…hey, it's you!" his eyes lit up as he realized who she was and she put her hand over his mouth.

"Shhh! Please don't give me away!" he looked at her confused and she looked around before dragging him outside where they couldn't be heard. "Look, I will explain how I got here later, but right now Michael doesn't know I'm the Bucharest girl. I don't want him to know just yet."

"That's kind of a big thing to hide from him, don't you think?" he asked.

"Yes, I have been telling myself that a lot lately, but now isn't the best time. He and I are becoming great friends and we are getting closer every day. I don't want to ruin that."

"What makes you think that would ruin it? That would probably make you closer," he pushed.

"Maybe I don't want that. He has a good thing going with Lisa Marie. Besides, if I tell him now, I'm afraid he will never look at me the same again." Derek gave her a strange look and folded his arms and she shook her head at him. "I'm not saying I won't tell him. I just wanna make sure the time is right before I do. Please, just keep this between us?" she begged him.

"Alright, alright. I promise," he smirked when she smiled and thanked him. She ran back inside to jump in the shower.

Michael came out after he had finished cleaning up and drying off. He walked out by the piano and noticed Ramona still hadn't arrived yet. He sat at the kitchen bar and tapped his fingers to a beat he made up, a new song he was working on, when he noticed a notebook sitting on the counter. Ramona's journal.

Michael's interest peaked as he reached for it.

**Be careful now. If she catches you reading this, you're gonna be in big trouble, **his mind warned him.

'I know, but if this is the door to finding out more about her and getting her a decent job, then I just have to know. Finding out who she is will help her and I both,' he talked himself into it and opened it up to the first entry. As he began reading, he also listened for any sounds of anyone approaching. So far, it was silent. He knew he would have to read fast.

_"__**My name is Ramona. I am a writer, a singer, and an artist of tribute music videos. The highest of the 3 on my list is writing. The stories I have written in the past has helped many people deal with hard situations.**_

_**I have no family left. My brother had died from cancer even after I gave him some of my bone marrow in order to save him. I wrote a story about how my emotional struggle nearly took my own life. I wrote about how it felt to risk my own life for his and how I felt when he took his last breath. That story alone gave a few more families hope when they had found out that their loved one had been diagnosed with cancer. That was reason enough for me to continue writing.**_

_**My parents died in a fire. Both of them had taken sleeping pills and some moron that was simply passing by flicked his lit cigarette into their yard. The high grass that lay up against the house easily caught fire and it spread in no time at all.**_

_**For some reason, I wasn't bitter for very long. I always believed everything happened for a reason. Maybe God was testing me to see how strong I was. I wasn't sure. One thing I was sure of was that I had no regrets. I had a wonderful relationship with everyone in my family.**_

_**I also sing, but mostly to myself. I play guitar and considered playing in public a few times. The only problem there was I happened to be extremely shy. One of the biggest traits I have is my loyalty to my idol, Michael Jackson. I stood by him as much as I could when he was accused of molesting a young boy that he had been very good friends with. I tried to go to every concert he ever played.**_

_**I bought a dog tag necklace at one of his shows during his Dangerous tour once and I always wore it around my neck. I still do. It gives me strength and reminds me that I am never alone. I remember the last time I ever saw Michael in person. What a nightmare it really was…"**_

"Michael?" Ramona's voice rang through the hallway and Michael slammed the journal closed before she could see him.

"Uh, in here Ray," he called back.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked. He paused as he took in her appearance. She was actually wearing makeup this time and it looked beautiful on her. She didn't wear too much, but not too little. It made her natural beauty stand out. The sun was shining through the windows and lighting up her auburn hair. She looked so angelic. "Hey, you look pale. Are you okay?" she asked.

He blinked a few times and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get a move on, shall we?"

Ramona hesitantly nodded and followed him out the door. She was a little worried, not just by his reaction to her, but how to get through this shopping expedition without a bunch of rumors firing up. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin whatever he had going on with Lisa. She glanced at him as they rode in the SUV toward the mall and he smiled and winked at her.

'Well he doesn't seem worried, so I guess I shouldn't be either,' she thought as she relaxed into her chair and enjoyed the ride.


	6. Chapter 6

"What on earth are you doing?" Ramona asked as she glanced at Michael from her seat. Michael had moved to the far back of the SUV with a big case. When he had pulled it open, bright light bulbs lit up his face. He had a makeup case with a built in light and mirror. Ramona bit back a giggle.

"Well, I can't very well go into public looking like me, now can I?" he retorted. Ramona shrugged. "Do you want to get photographed and pummeled by my fans?" he asked. Ramona smiled and shook her head. "Okay then, don't judge me," he said teasingly and snorted.

Ramona made a face and Michael looked at her as he applied a fake mustache. "You are such a diva," she teased.

Michael froze and finally closed the case. "I am NOT!" he said in a slightly hurt tone, putting his hand on his chest dramatically. Ramona laughed and looked out the window.

"If you say so," she smirked, then added quietly, "diva."

"Hey!" he laughed.

Soon they pulled up to the mall and Michael got out slowly. He was dressed in a black v-neck shirt and a pair of faded jeans. He also wore a black beret hat and his aviators. Ramona stopped him before he got out and traded him sunglasses.

"Here, where these."

Michael gave her a look before hesitantly putting them on. They weren't as big as his aviators, but they concealed his eyes well. "Why can't I wear my glasses?" he whined as he crawled out of the car.

"Think about it, Mike. You are well known for your style. People will recognize you if you wear these," she said with a smile.

"Oh come on, people wore aviators before I did," he folded his arms.

"Name 3 people," she challenged. Michael paused and then hung his head. "That's what I thought. Aviators are only popular now because of you," she poked his stomach playfully and he smiled and nodded.

"Okay, you win, Ray. Let's go." She hooked her arm in his and together they walked through the mall. They went from store to store and Michael would stop to study paintings and sculptures. Ramona seemed to be interested in the book stores and scrap books.

Michael caught her eyeing a deep red laptop computer and he smirked. "Find something you like?" he asked.

Ramona jumped back and shook her head. "Just something to add to my wish list," she winked and moved on. Ramona didn't want Michael to spend so much money on her. They had already gone through several clothing stores and Michael had purchased an entire wardrobe for her. She didn't know what to think.

As they roamed the mall, Ramona glanced back at Michael. He seemed extremely tense after a group of young girls eyed him.

"Maybe we should move to another floor," he said nervously.

"Maybe you shouldn't walk like that," she pointed out. He stopped and looked at her before looking down at his own feet. How could he walk like someone else? Ramona snickered and put her hand around his waist. He blushed and tensed before putting his arm around her shoulders. "Walk with me, I'll show you."

He followed her instructions, trying to calm his pounding heart. He wasn't used to this kind of thing. Whenever he could get Lisa to go shopping with him, he had to fight to get her to hold his hand, let alone get this close.

'**Calm yourself, Mike,' he scolded himself. 'She's only trying to help you.'**

He loosened up after a few moments and Ramona released her hold. Her heart was pounding at the close contact as well, but she wasn't about to show her embarrassment. When they both slowed down, Michael glanced around.

"Um, are you ready to leave? These bags are getting kind of heavy," he said shyly.

Ramona looked back at him. He had a begging look on his face. They were both carrying several bags on their arms. She felt bad for him but still giggled at his desperation. "Aw, Sugar Tits, are you that tired? You need to lift more weights."

He scowled at her and his sunglasses fell off his face. He jerked upright and dropped all of the bags trying to catch the glasses before they hit the ground. He wasn't so lucky. The framed cracked on the hard tile and he cringed. This wasn't good.

They both tensed up, Michael more than Ramona, when people began to stare at them. Ramona quickly pulled the aviators from the top of her head and put them on his face. He let out a breath and smiled slightly.

"Thanks. Let's get out of here," he said. He picked up all of the bags he had dropped and they back tracked to the floor where they had entered.

"This doesn't look familiar," Ramona said while glancing around.

"Didn't we come in next to Dillard's?" he asked.

Ramona shrugged. "Um…" they both glanced around for a while before they finally found a map. Ramona looked it over and Michael rolled his eyes.

He pointed at an upside down red triangle. "You are here, well isn't that obvious?" he grumbled at the sign. Ramona bit back a grin and shook her head.

"Hey, don't take your anger out on the sign. It's only here to help us."

"Leave it to you to defend an inanimate object," he grumbled and then giggled at the look on her face.

After about 15 minutes, they finally found their way outside and began to load the back of the SUV.

Ramona winced as she rubbed her wrists. "Ow, I didn't realize how heavy those bags were."

Michael took his glasses off and nudged her. "I guess I'm not the only one who needs to hit the gym, huh?"

Ramona stuck her tongue out at him and then stopped when she noticed a frightened look on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Get in, quickly," he mumbled as he pushed her toward the door.

"Look! It's Michael Jackson!" a girl screamed. A crowd quickly formed and ran toward the SUV. Michael shook his head and dove into the back seat. Ramona reached over him and slammed the door just as the crowd hit the vehicle and began hitting the sides.

"Ugh," he growled. "I need to work on my disguises."

Ramona giggled as she sat back in her seat. **'Poor Michael,' **she thought to herself. **'He can't even go shopping without being followed. I need to do something for him. Something special. But what…?'**

"So…I just realized something," Michael said as he sat in his seat and began to remove his makeup. "I realized I have a pretty girl living in my guest room, and I don't even really know her that well."

Ramona blushed a little at being complimented by him. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You should be," he said. Ramona looked at him and he smiled. "Make it up to me. Tell me more about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

Michael bit his lip in thought. He read her journal, but he didn't want to tell her that. He wanted her to tell him about her life. "Where do you come from? Your family, your past, what you want for your future? Tell me everything."

Ramona smiled weakly at his enthusiasm. Never in her life had she met someone who was so determined to know her. She was nothing special, she knew that. She shrugged. "Well, my family is no longer living. My parents were killed in a fire; my brother lost his battle to cancer."

Michael's eyes grew sad and he looked down for a moment. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be," she said without hesitation. "Everything happens for a reason. Besides, I'm still here," she smiled and looked away.

"You don't seem that hurt by it. How is that possible?" he asked.

"I was hurt when it happened, but I am never bitter about things like that. God chose to keep me alive. Everyone has a mission in life, you know. I guess I have yet to fulfill mine," she thought out loud.

"I like to believe the same thing," he smiled. "What about your future? Ever think about a career in writing?"

"Of course I always think about it. It's always been my dream job," she admitted quietly.

Michael paused in thought and then nodded. "You would do great as a professional writer."

"How do you know?" she challenged him.

"Call it intuition. Besides, I like what I heard when you read my part of your story. You still owe me, by the way," he smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I suppose I do. However, I forgot to buy a few notebooks to continue my writing. So if you don't mind me borrowing some paper from you, I will be glad to continue my story and read it to you as it progresses."

Michael grinned to himself as he nodded. **'You won't need a notebook for long.'**

Two days later, Michael had gone out early one morning and Ramona met with one of the maids to help around the house. She was asked to dust a few things and clean a few floors. Marie promised Michael she wouldn't overdo things with the girl, and she didn't intend to.

"Alright, Miss Marie, the floors are done. What's next?" Ramona pranced out of the dining room. She wore her favorite pair of jean shorts and a grey muscle shirt with her hair pulled back and a bandana on her head.

Marie rose up from the living room window and threw the cleaning rag over her shoulder. "Already done? You're fast! Slow down!" she chuckled and Ramona smiled back.

"I can't help it. I like a good challenge," she paced the room trying to find something else to do. Suddenly she stopped by the back door and looked out across the field toward the zoo. "Do the zookeepers need any help?"

Marie thought for a moment before smiling. "They might need a hand grooming some of them. Watch out for Enrique, though. He doesn't speak much English and he happens to be very flirtatious," she winked.

Ramona smiled and nodded before prancing out to the zoo. Every worker at the ranch had already met Ramona and they knew who she was. None of them liked Lisa much, and most of the women secretly wished Michael would get with Ramona instead of staying with Lisa.

Ramona opened the gate to the lion's pen when two of the female zookeepers motioned her to enter. "Do you need any help around here?" she asked.

"Well, sure. Actually we were getting ready to take the tigers out swimming and we could use the help. Michael's favorite tiger, Sabu, is quite a handful."

She grinned as she stepped forward into the den and listened closely to the directions. A few hours later, Michael finally arrived and he knocked on Ramona's door. When she didn't answer he looked around the house until he bumped into Marie.

"If you're looking for your partner in crime, she's out helping the staff with Sabu," she smiled. Michael's eyes grew wide.

"Why would they ask her to handle Sabu? He plays too rough with everyone except me and you," he said as he hurried toward the back door.

Marie simply chuckled as he ran toward the zoo. He had expected to find her having a hard time handling his favorite tiger like the rest of the zookeepers he had hired, but he had to fight the temptation to grab a camera when he caught sight of Ramona.

Not only was Ramona soaked from head to toe and being laughed at by the fellow zookeepers, but she was in the pool with Sabu and Thriller, his two beautiful tigers. He laughed when he saw Thriller chase her and she laughed and splashed him. Sabu pounced on her back and she fell over. Michael was worried she was being transformed into Sabu's personal chew toy, until she got up and Sabu began to rub on her like a kitten.

Ramona smiled and hugged his huge neck and then she saw Michael and waved. He grinned and entered the pen, only to be spotted by his tigers and tackled instantly. "I missed you guys too," he laughed as he rough housed with them and growled like a tiger.

"I see where they get their rough behavior," Ramona teased as she walked up to him, helping him up. "Welcome home."

"Thank you. Did you have fun?" he asked.

"Of course. Sabu and Thriller are amazing animals. They are just like..."

"A couple of kids," Michael finished the sentence at the same time she did. They both blushed and giggled. "I'm surprised Sabu didn't hurt you. Most of the workers were turned into his personal chew toy by now."

"Nah, he's just a kid. Aren't you, Sabu?" she spoke to him like a baby and scratched his ears playfully. He jerked his head around playfully and put his paws on her shoulders, raising up on his hind legs and hugged her.

"He never hugs anyone but me. I think I'm jealous," Michael laughed.

Ramona smiled when she pushed Sabu away. "Don't be jealous. Do you need a hug, Sugar Tits?" she asked as she slowly moved toward him.

"Don't even think about it, Snookie," he moved back, holding his hands up. He backed up until his back hit the fence and Ramona tackled him with a bear hug, soaking him through his clothes. "You are so going to pay for this!" he yelled as he threw her over his shoulder and ran back into the tiger's pool. Both tigers chased him and ran into the pool as well.

A few hours playing in the pool with the tigers went by and Michael took Ramona back into the house. "I have a surprise for you," he smirked as he led her toward his library.

"For what? Don't you think you've done enough?" she asked. She was embarrassed and honestly felt a little selfish. He bought her an entire wardrobe and now he had something else for her? She really needed to find a way to repay him, and soon.

"Do you dare question Michael Jackson?" he puffed his chest out proudly and Ramona raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," she said simply.

His chest deflated and he scowled before walking behind her and covering her eyes. "Smartass. Walk forward and keep your eyes shut until I tell you."

She grumbled as he led her through the hallway into his library. He carefully maneuvered her around to sit her down in his office chair that was pulled up to a huge chestnut desk. He smiled as he finally let go of her eyes and stepped around to watch her face.

She gasped when she opened her eyes. Right in front of her sat the deep red laptop she had been eyeballing at the mall a few days ago. He had set it open and put a bright red ribbon on the corner of it. "Michael, I don't know what to say," she breathed. "Th…thank you!"

She placed her hands on it and studied it carefully. Michael grinned. "You're welcome. Now you don't need any more notebooks. All you need is your fingers to type the stories away."

Ramona's eyes glazed over at his words. He actually cared that she wanted to be a writer. So much that he spent quite a deal of money on a gorgeous piece of machinery that she never imagined she would own in her lifetime. She jumped up and hugged him tightly.

"You are such an amazing person. How could anyone think otherwise?" she sniffed. "I swear to you right now, I will use my writing skills to prove to the public how sweet and amazing you truly are!"

Michael was taken aback by her words. He expected a thank you but never thought she would make such a promise. "You don't have to do anything for me," he said softly before stepping away. "Just write me a good story," he winked before walking out.

'**Just a good story? I will do more than that, I promise,' **she thought to herself. She sat back down and suddenly felt sad when she felt the stinging sensation in her shoulder again. She placed her hand over the scar and sighed.

'**You would be doing so much more for him if only you would tell him who you really are…' **her mind taunted her.

"When the time is right…" she whispered as she powered up her new laptop and began writing her next story.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mikey, where have you been all day?"

"Out," Michael replied, sounding rather bored.

Ramona took her reading glasses off of her face and set them aside as she stopped typing. She had been typing on her new laptop for a couple of hours when she had to stop, being interrupted by an argument outside the library. She didn't need to guess who Michael was arguing with.

"Out is all you can say? Michael Joseph, I need to know where you are!" Lisa yelled at him.

"All hours of the day? Come on Lisa, you're starting to sound like…well I wouldn't say my mother because she never yelled at me in such a hateful manner," he said plainly.

Lisa fumed. She put her hands on her hips and paced the room. "If you're going to marry me, then you need to inform me of certain things."

"What do you care?" he asked, becoming rather annoyed, which was very hard for him to do. However, Lisa knew just how to get on his last nerve. "You're hardly ever here when I'm actually home."

"So?" she snorted.

"So what if I asked you the same thing? What if I wanted to know exactly where you were 24 hours a day?"

"I would say forget it. An unmarried woman's life is full of secrets," she spat, not realizing how ridiculous she sounded.

Ramona was listening from the doorway and her eyebrow rose in fascination. She had been on her own for quite some time, and it was usually a rare thing for her to be around very many people, let alone sit and listen and talk with them. As a result of her being somewhat of a hermit, she had a hard time processing emotions and learning how to express her feelings. Sure, she could write emotions just fine, but when it came to writing about how her character felt when the one he loved became ill, she had a difficult time explaining his heartache.

"You keep secrets from me?" Michael said, sounding hurt.

Ramona couldn't help but peak around the corner. This absolutely fascinated her to witness an argument like this. She wanted to see the expressions on their faces. Michael had on a mask, or so she decided, and he faked a painful look on his face. To those who didn't know Michael, or wish to know him, that look could fool anyone. To those that spent time with him and truly cherished his friendship like Ramona did, she could tell he was more bored than hurt.

"I'm sure you keep secrets as well," she snorted. Just as Lisa said that, Ramona sneezed. Oops. Lisa spun around at the sound and immediately became enraged. She glared at Ramona as if she expected her to come out fully nude or something. She spun back around and gave Michael that same look. "What the hell is she doing here?"

Michael had to fight from rolling his eyes at her childish outburst. He didn't need to give her something else to complain about. "She is staying here until she gets back on her feet. I thought we already discussed this."

"You discussed it, I said to buy her clothes and send her on her merry way! This is not what I had in mind!" she stomped and Ramona looked over Lisa's shoulder at Michael and gave him a look that mocked Lisa behind her back. Michael's eyes traveled to Ramona and he giggled. "Is this really that funny to you?" she growled. Michael bit his lip and shook his head.

"Your behavior is rather amusing, butter bean," Michael shot back. He didn't know why, but he did love Lisa, and he also grew frustrated very quickly when she was around, so he had his way of pissing her off and getting rid of her.

"What did you call me?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

Ramona snickered. "Oh come on, Mike. Butter bean? You make her sound like an overweight heffer, which she clearly isn't. Why not try Jelly Bean? She sounds more colorful that way" she offered with a smile.

Lisa spun around again. "You stay out of this, freeloader! You shouldn't be here. I thought you were supposed to leave with Janet?"

Both Michael and Ramona paused. They had forgotten about that lie Ramona told in the very beginning. Before Ramona could lie again, the sound of an opening door slamming open caught everyone's attention.

"Helloooo!" Janet came waltzing in. Michael stood, clearly relieved for the interruption.

"Hey Dunk," Michael said as he hugged her.

"Hey Applehead! How are you?" she smiled and then spotted Lisa. "Lisa…" she nodded her head toward the cold woman.

"Excuse me? We were having a discussion here!" she snapped. Michael put his head down when Janet simply stared at Lisa. She couldn't stand that woman, but she tolerated her for Michael's sake.

"More like a bitching session," Ramona mumbled. Michael bit back a laugh and Lisa glared at her again.

"Why you…"

Janet jumped forward and hugged Ramona. "Hey Ray! It's been so long! I see my brother bought you some new clothes," she smiled and Michael let out a breath in relief. "Thanks for looking after her for me, Mike."

Michael bowed slightly. "Anything for you, Dunk."

Lisa bit her tongue. "Well, this is quite a surprise." She turned and put her arms around Michael and kissed him lightly. "And here I thought you were lying to me about her. You're such a good man," she cooed and he winced.

"Perhaps you should treat him like one, then," Ramona grumbled and Janet elbowed her. Lisa shot her a look and Janet grabbed Ramona's arm.

"Okay, I think it's time to go get something to eat and hit the clubs. You need to see how a pop star lives, girl!" she said excitedly.

"I'll follow you anywhere, Janet," Ramona smiled and then winked at Michael. He grinned as Janet pushed her out the door. "I owe you big time!" Ramona said when they reached Janet's car.

"Don't mention it. Michael told me all about it. I'm just glad I came in before Cruella decided to rip your face off," she laughed. Ramona smiled back as she buckled her seatbelt. "Honestly though, you should watch the snappy comebacks around her. She has a wicked temper."

"I didn't notice," Ramona said sarcastically.

Janet took Ramona everywhere in town. All of her favorite hang out spots such as clubs and restaurants. By the time Janet decided to take Ramona back, it was around 3 in the morning. As they pulled up to the gates, Derek stuck his head out of the guard window.

"Do you realize how late it is?" he asked with his arms folded.

"Sorry Derek, we were just having so much fun!" Ramona giggled from the passenger seat. Derek smiled and let them pass. Ramona climbed out and turned back to Janet when she shut the door. "Thanks again, Janet. We should do this more often."

"Anytime. We are after all, best friends," she giggled as she put her car in reverse. "I'll call you!"

Ramona waved her off and went inside and headed straight for bed. During that whole week, Ramona had done nothing but work on her story. Michael would come in every now and then and drag her out to the amusement park or to play with the tigers. A few times they went horseback riding and had a few races. They formed a tight bond with each other, and little by little, Ramona found herself opening up to Michael and letting him get to know her and understand her better.

By the end of the week, Michael had learned that her only flaw that he could find was her inability to express emotions. She had asked him for his help a few times with her story when she needed to write how someone felt.

One day, Michael came to her with the biggest smile on his face. Ramona took off her reading glasses when he sat down across from her and crossed his legs, laced his fingers and placed them in his lap, the whole time wiggling his foot in anticipation.

Ramona giggled. "Okay, what is it?"

"I have a surprise for you," he said, biting his lip in excitement.

"Will you ever stop?" she shook her head. "Seriously, Mike. Stop doing things for me. You've done enough."

"How can you say that?" he sported a sad look on his face and Ramona rolled her eyes. "I can't stand by and watch you sit here and do nothing else all day, every day. So I did something about it."

"I don't just sit here all the time. We do go out every now and then," she retorted, only to get a weird look from Michael. "Fine, I'll bite. What did you do?"

"I got you an interview with the LA times. 8 o' clock sharp tomorrow morning," he said so fast, Ramona almost missed it.

"I…what? You…Really?" she stuttered and he nodded his head, grinning widely. "Thank you!" she climbed over the desk and hugged him tightly.

The next morning, she had showered and was digging through her closet for the right outfit. She hadn't had an interview in several years and she had no idea what to wear. She decided on a white button up blouse, but she had a hard time deciding between a black pencil skirt or black slacks.

She stood in the mirror in her black boy shorts panties and her white blouse, holding up the skirt to her, and then the pants. "Why must this be so difficult?" she whined. "Michael!" she called. A few moments later, Michael poked his head in the door.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Can you help me for a minute?" she begged. He came fully inside the door and then froze. She didn't have any pants on. He blushed and turned his back. "What's your problem?" she asked, clearly unaffected.

"You're, um…that is to say, I…where are your…You're in your bloomers!" he stumbled over the right words to stay.

Ramona looked down and then shrugged. "So what? We're not lovers, Mike. You're my best friend. Please, help me!" she begged.

Michael nodded and took a deep breath before turning back around. "Okay, what do you need?"

"Does this look better with the skirt or the pants?" she asked while switching the hangers back and forth. Michael stood with one arm folded across his chest and the other hand under his chin.

He held up a finger and went into her closet. "Give me the shirt," he said. Ramona put her hand over her scar and shook her head. "Okay, fair enough," he said, holding up his hands. "Give me a second." She waited for about 2 minutes before he came back out. He took the pants from her and lay it out on the bed, he then put a black button up shirt down and a white tank top on top. "Try this."

Ramona raised an eyebrow. "You're dressing me up like you," she snickered. Michael folded his arms and quirked a brow in a serious fashion and she shrugged. "Okay okay, be right back."

She disappeared into the closet and then came out fully dressed. Michael whistled. "There you go. That's much better," he smiled proudly as she stood in front of the floor length mirror.

"Wow, I should let you dress me more often," Ramona smiled. Michael puffed his chest out proudly as Ramona hugged him. "Thank you." He nodded and she headed for the door before turning around one last time. "Oh, and bloomers? They're called panties, Mike."

Michael turned a bright red color before he flipped her off under his chin and shooed her away. He had one of his drivers take her to her interview and he had to go to rehearsals at the Staples Center.

A few hours later, Derek drove Ramona to the Staples Center. "Why are we here, Derek?" Ramona asked.

"Michael is here rehearsing. I figured you would want to tell him as soon as possible," he winked.

"You know me so well, Derek." She smiled widely. She had gotten the job and she couldn't be happier. She would be writing columns that God knows how many people read each day, and she would be making more money than she imagined. Now she could get her own place.

She stared out the window in deep thought. She needed to find her a place pretty soon too. Michael and Lisa had been fighting constantly whenever Lisa actually did come around, and Ramona decided her being there was only adding fuel to the fire. She couldn't just keep lying to Lisa about why she's there.

"Hey, we're here," Derek announced and Ramona literally jumped out of the car. He chuckled and followed her into the Staples Center toward the stage. "Slow down, I don't want you to hurt yourself."

As Ramona ran into the front entrance, she spotted Michael. He was rehearsing Black or White and he was dressed almost identically to her, except his over shirt was white. He stopped the music when he saw her and he smiled.

"Hey bestie," he waved. She giggled at his new nickname for her and she ran as fast as she could onto the stage, tackling him with a hug. He almost fell over. "I guess this means it went well?" he laughed as he hugged her back.

She stepped back and nodded. "I got the job!" they both jumped up and down a few times before Michael noticed everyone was watching. He cleared his throat and they all looked away. He took her hand and they sat on the edge of the stage.

"I knew you could do it, Ray."

She smiled widely and hugged him again. "I owe it all to you. And now, with this job, I can keep my promise and soon, the public will realize how great of a man you really are!" Michael looked into her eyes in appreciation. No one had ever worked that hard for his sake. It warmed his heart. "Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you, Mike."

"The feeling is mutual, Ramona."

They both breathed in deeply as they began to lean toward each other very slowly. Both nearly inches apart, the drummer accidentally dropped one of his symbols and made everyone jump. Ramona jumped to her feet and cleared her throat.

"Well, I'd better let you get back to work," she said nervously. Michael nodded and stood to give her a hug when he noticed she had backed into the spotlight on the stage and was staring blankly at the huge number of empty seats. "It's been a while…" she whispered.

Michael looked out to the seats and then back at her. "A while since what?" he asked.

Ramona blinked a few times, placing her hand over her scar. That familiar stinging sensation came back full force. Michael reached out and touched her shoulder and she jumped and looked at him. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" she asked.

"You said it's been a while…?" he asked carefully.

"Oh, I was referring to the concert, in Bucharest. It was one hell of a show," she said.

"Bucharest, yes. Wait, you were there?" he asked in surprise. **'That would mean she witnessed…'**

"Okay, Mike. Do you want to run through that song again so we can get the fan going correctly?" the director interrupted.

"Uh, yeah. Let's do that," he told him. He turned back to Ramona. "Well, I'll see you at home?" he asked. She nodded shyly before heading back to the edge of the stage. Michael jumped down first and held his arms out for her. She blushed and he slid his hands around her waist and helped her down.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"No problem," he winked before hopping back onto the stage.

A few weeks into her job, Ramona had grown quite popular. Her writing skills were undoubtedly impressive and her boss couldn't be happier. She wrote a column about so many different things that her boss recommended. When she had the chance, she had spoke to her boss about Michael and how normal he really was. He allowed her to write a few columns about Michael and of course, she had to ask Michael what was okay to share with the public and what wasn't. Within no time, she had captured the eyes of the public and changed the hearts of many who used to see Michael as a monster.

Michael was very excited to see her progress and what she had written about him. However he was very nervous when the media figured out who she was and followed her around. At one point, she was cornered and questioned by the media and Derek fought to get her through the crowd.

"Ramona, why do you write such columns about Michael Jackson?"

"Ramona, is there a romantic relationship between you and Michael?"

"Is he as wonderful as you say he is or is he paying you to write this stuff?"

Many ridiculous questions were called out and Ramona wasn't bothered one bit. She simply smiled at the people and said "Michael is my best friend and it is my wish and my wish alone to open the eyes of the public. He's not a monster. He's not perfect, but he's only human."

Michael was pleased with her answer, but wasn't happy about her being cornered. When she came home, he pestered her about it. "How can this not bother you?" he followed her around the house as she put her things away and changed clothes.

"It just doesn't. Michael, I'll be fine. I'm a big girl, I can handle it," she smiled and touched under his chin like a child. He nodded but he didn't stop thinking about it. That night, Ramona couldn't help but think about the day they had gone to the mall and how nervous he was. She believed he deserved to see what its like to be out in the public without being pummeled. As she scanned the internet, she located an amusement park that was fairly new. It was full of people who co-existed with celebrities. The next morning, Ramona asked Derek to drive her to the park while Michael was out rehearsing. She spoke with the manager alongside Derek, who had promised to keep his mouth shut. "So, if I were to bring Michael here without a disguise, could you ensure that he will not get stared at or followed, or bothered at all for that matter?" she asked.

The short bald man with thick glasses nodded without hesitation. "Yes. When I opened this park, my dream was to have people here as guests that were already used to being around celebrities. We have already had a few people such as Jamie Foxx and Christina Aguilera pay a visit and no one ever second-glanced them. However, we do have a great deal of security, just in case."

"Could you possibly add more security on the outside and guarantee me that the media will not get any word that Michael would be here?" she asked him with a serious tone.

"I could, but I must ask you, what's in it for me?"

"I admire your honesty. If you do this for me, I will write a couple of columns for you in the LA times and I can guarantee your popularity will spike at least 60%."

The man thought for a moment before smiling. "You've got a deal. So you will bring him here tomorrow afternoon?"

Ramona nodded and shook his hand. The next morning, she could barely contain her excitement. She waited by the door for Michael to come home. She had a plan all figured out. When he finally walked in, he had an extra pep in his step.

"Honey, I'm home!" he called out playfully.

"Finally! I have a surprise for you!" Ramona grinned when he froze and looked at her strangely.

"That's what I was gonna say!" he put his hands on his hips and Ramona's mouth dropped.

"You didn't…" she folded her arms. He nodded shyly. "Ugh! Well this time, I have something for you too!"

Michael giggled. "Okay, but I go first. Come on!" he grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door. Before Ramona knew it, Michael had taken her down the road and she was now standing with him in front of a gorgeous 4 bedroom condo. He pulled out a key and opened the door and together, they walked around the fully furnished home. Ramona was drooling. It was so gorgeous. "What do you think?" he asked.

"It's beautiful. Did you design this?" she asked as she ran her fingers over a life-size golden statue of a guardian angel.

"I did design this, for you."

She froze and looked at him. "For me?" he nodded. "This house is…?"

"Yours. Now, I know what you're gonna say, but you don't owe me anything. In fact, I have one more surprise and I swear I won't buy you another thing unless you ask me to," he spoke quickly, thinking he was in trouble.

Ramona was speechless. She let a tear slip and hugged him tightly. "How did you know I was looking for a new place? It's so…me! I love it!" he grinned and then pulled her into the garage. He flipped on the light and there in front of her sat a brand new red camaro.

"You didn't!" she yelled.

"I did," Michael laughed as he covered his ears. She screamed and circled the vehicle a few times.

"You know I don't have a driver's license, right?" she asked after she caught her breath.

"Well, yeah. I'll take you for the test when you're ready. Until then, I'm ready for my surprise!" he announced like a child. Ramona looked up at him from her new car and laughed. He was holding his arms out expecting her to hand him something. She shook her head and then walked outside with him to his SUV. Derek stood waiting for them smiling. "You knew about this?" he asked him. Derek shrugged and Michael gave him a look before getting into the car.

Before they began to drive, Ramona reached over and put a blindfold on him. He tensed up immediately and Ramona pulled his hands to his sides. "Relax, Michael. No need to be afraid. Trust me."

"I do trust you," he said nervously.

When they finally arrived at the park, Ramona grinned widely. She led Michael out into the park near the gates. She placed him where he would be able to see the entire park. She glanced at the manager who stood nearby, simply wanting to witness the look on his face. Michael tensed when he heard the crowd of people around him.

"Um, Ramona…"

She took his blindfold off and his skin turned white. He began looking for a way to cover his face and Ramona stood behind him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Calm down. You don't have to hide here. Look around you." He did as she asked and noticed that the people walking by simply smiled at him and continued on their way as if they didn't know who he was.

"I don't understand. Don't they know who I am?" he asked in shock.

"They all know, believe me. This is a special park I discovered. These people co-exist with celebrities. You are just a normal person here. No one will bother you. So loosen up, let's have some fun!" Ramona pulled on his arm and he finally allowed his feet to carry him away. He was finally given the chance to live like a normal person.

'**I am so glad I have a friend like Ray. What would I do without her?' **he asked himself as he stared at her smiling face sitting next to him on a roller coaster.


	8. Chapter 8

"Um, Mike? I'm not so sure about this…" Ramona bit her lip as Michael led her to the next ride.

Michael turned around with a quirked eyebrow and he grinned at the look on her face. She was being taken to Michael's personal favorite ride, the Zipper, and Ramona just turned pale looking at it.

"What are you afraid of? It's perfectly safe!" he said, taking a step closer to her.

"Safe? It is flinging those people around as if they were inside a toddler's hotwheels car!" she gulped and then frowned when Michael started laughing. "What the heck is so funny?"

"And here I thought you couldn't show emotion," he mocked her.

"What emotion?" she asked, completely dumbfounded. She didn't have a clue.

Michael put his hands on her shoulders and waited for her to look into his eyes. "Fear."

She stood, unmoving, trying to process what he had just said. She felt fear? Michael rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the ride. "Wait…" she called to him.

He shook his head and kept his grip on her. "You can pick the next ride, I promise." Ramona sighed and gave in. She was actually surprised that it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. However, when the ride was over and they climbed out of the little car, Ramona had to lean on a nearby wall. Michael giggled at her. "Wanna go again?"

"How about no," she said, not even looking at him. "You owe me big time. What's next on the map?"

Michael pulled out the map of the park. They had decided to start from the front of the park and work their way back. The next on their list had them both grinning in excitement. It was called The Xtreme. It had a variety of flips and turns and it stood about 80 stories high.

Michael and Ramona took one look at it and then smiled at each other. "Race you!" Michael yelled and took off running.

"Hey! Cheater!" Ramona laughed and chased him to the roller coaster. Once they were being seated, Ramona noticed Michael had sat next to a little boy. She smirked at him and took her seat behind him next to another man. She reached forward and knocked Michael's hat off of his head.

"Hey!" he turned and scoffed at her. "Quit picking on me or I'm gonna tell!" he whined and then laughed.

Ramona smirked. He was transforming into this little kid and she felt like it was because of her. It felt really good. Once the roller coaster operator announced the ride was about to start, Michael threw his hands up in the air. "Weee!"

The little boy sitting next to him rolled his eyes and snorted. "Michael, we haven't even started moving yet."

Ramona bit back a laugh after seeing the look on Michael's face. "So?" he said and stuck out his tongue. The little boy just laughed at him and made him grin from ear to ear. It was amazing how much children affected him.

Once the ride was over, they looked over the map again. As Michael studied the surrounding rides, Ramona caught a glimpse of a movie theater. It read: "Captain EO in 3D"

"Oh Michael…" she sang. He looked up from the map and she pointed at the theater. He took one look at it and he frowned.

"No." he went back to looking at the map and Ramona pulled it down and gave him a sad look.

"You owe me, remember?" she said with her hands on her hips. "And this is my pick. What are you afraid of?" she mocked him.

He shook his head at her and looked down, blushing slightly. "I don't know, there's something about seeing myself coming at…well myself that just bugs me."

Ramona giggled. "Oh come on, it can't be that bad."

"Have you ever seen yourself on the big screen with a crowd watching it with you?" he asked, folding his arms.

"Okay, fine I will make you a deal. Since I have never seen this movie, we can watch half of it, and if it bugs you that much, we can leave early."

Michael rolled his eyes and she pouted. He grunted and finally agreed and Ramona dragged him to the front row and put on her 3D glasses. Michael glanced at her before sighing and putting his glasses on.

A few minutes into the movie, Ramona was embarrassed. She thought Hooter was adorable and Michael looked cute in his space suit, but every time Michael's face came on screen, he would grunt or cover his face or make some random comments. People around them kept shushing them.

"Ugh, that part had no emotion. I should have used more emotion there…" Michael grumbled.

Ramona reached over and covered his mouth. "You are going to get us kicked out if you don't shut it."

"Oh that's a joke. Kick Michael Jackson out of his own movie?" Michael smirked and then laughed at his own joke. Ramona shook her head and then got up to leave.

"Okay, then let's go find another ride."

Michael followed her out of the theater and he watched her expressions for signs of anger. Just as he feared, her mask of no emotion was back on.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"No." she said plainly. "Where to next?" she held up the map and he took it from her.

"Be honest with me. Are you mad?"

Ramona sighed and looked at him. His eyes were filled with worry and a bit of regret. She loved to watch his eyes when he spoke to her face to face. She shook her head and he put his hand on her face, pulling her closer to him.

"I'm not mad, Michael. I understand you were put in an awkward situation. I guess I should have thought about how that would have made you feel. I'm sorry," she whispered. Her heart skipped a beat as his eyes traveled to her lips and he slowly moved forward. Her eyelids began to close when he paused, nearly an inch away from her lips, and a huge smile plastered on his face. Ramona turned to look at what caught his attention so fast and saw a group of Disney characters in costume walking around together.

"Look! It's Mickey, and Donald, and Goofy too!"

Ramona shook her head and smiled. "Go have fun," she pushed him toward the characters and laughed as he ran without hesitation toward them. She laughed when she noticed that Goofy was dressed like Michael. He had on the red military jacket and a single glittered glove. "Priceless…" she mumbled as she pulled out a video camera she borrowed from Michael, without him knowing of course.

Just as she hit the record button, he began dancing with the characters and laughing like a child. This was just too good to miss. She bit her lip and her eyes watered. What was this strange feeling she had? She wasn't sad, so why was she crying?

"Here, allow me to hold the camera and go join in," Derek walked up behind her and startled her.

"Oh, it's okay. You go have some fun while you can," she said.

"Ray, come on. How often do you get a chance to dance with your best friend and a bunch of Disney characters?" he asked. She hesitated before smiling at him and handing him the camera.

"Thanks Derek," she ran toward him and nearly tackled him as Derek recorded every moment of it. They danced with the characters like a couple of nuts and laughed and hugged. Ramona felt such an odd sensation in her heart and she kissed Michael's cheek. They both blushed a bright red before they finally bid their farewells to the Disney gang.

Michael paused before turning back around. "Hey Goofy," he said. Goofy turned around and looked at him. "I appreciate what you're trying to do with your image, but next time, just leave the Michael Jackson stuff to me, okay?"

Goofy put his hands over his eyes and Michael grinned. As he began to turn back, Ramona pointed back at Goofy and laughed. Michael turned back to see Goofy and the rest of the gang trying to dance like Michael. Goofy even attempted the Moonwalk before falling over.

_The following day…_

"Michael? Where are you?" Ramona wandered around Neverland looking for him. He had just called her from her house and asked her to come over. She arrived about 20 minutes ago and had searched nearly every room in the house before she ran into Marie. "Have you seen Mike?"

Marie stopped cleaning the dishes for a moment and smiled at Ramona. "He just headed out back. Try looking in his favorite tree."

"How am I supposed to know which one is his favorite? I don't even know how many trees there are on this ranch," Ramona said as she slapped her forehead with an open palm.

Marie bit the inside of her cheek. She guessed Michael hadn't told her about his tree yet. "Just go out by the pool and look for a tree that stands out above all the others. You cant miss it."

Ramona gave her a strange look before heading outside. She glanced at every tree, trying to find the one that stood out to her. She wandered toward the pool and looked around for another 5 minutes before her eyes caught site of the biggest, fullest tree she had seen. She eyed the branches in awe. She was definitely going to have to write about this.

"Wow…" she breathed as she walked backward until she was underneath the shade of this magnificent tree.

"Boo," a voice from behind her made her jump and she turned around to see Michael hanging from a low branch, upside down.

"I hate it when you do that," Ramona grumbled. Michael smiled and climbed his way up the tree. Ramona walked to the trunk of the tree and put her hand on it. "Michael, this tree is incredible."

"Come on up," he called.

Ramona smiled and made her way up into the branches until she reached the thick branch where Michael sat. He reached his hand out to her and she took it, being pulled up to sit next to him on the branch.

"Look down."

Ramona looked at him for a moment. "Isnt that the last thing you want to say to someone who is afraid of heights?"

"Are you?" he asked.

"No," she said and then giggled at his scrunched up face. She glanced down and looked at everything around her. The sun was just beginning to set and sunbeams were shining through the thick branches of the tree. It almost looked like they were sitting in a painting. "It's so unreal. It's like a painting made by God himself," she whispered. She leaned forward a little too far and almost slipped. Michael grabbed her arm and chuckled before he turned to rest his back on another branch.

"Come here," he said softly. He pulled her back against his chest so she wouldn't fall. Ramona leaned her head back against his chest and relaxed. What was this new feeling she felt? She was so warm being in his arms like this. She couldn't make sense of it, and that scared her. Before she could say anything, Michael sighed deeply. "This is my Giving Tree."

"Giving Tree?" she asked.

"Yes. I discovered this tree about a year after I moved here. This tree gives me so much inspiration. I love sitting on this branch and watching everything around me, and listening to the sounds of nature," he spoke softly. Ramona had a hunch he was speaking straight from his heart.

"What kind of inspiration can this tree give?" she asked.

"Any kind you need. For you, it could be a whole new start for your stories you write, or maybe a new series of columns for the paper. For me, it inspired me to write songs."

"Really?" she asked. She was surprised he was so open with her and she wondered how many people knew this about him. No one seems to know how sweet he really is. Ramona really wished more people saw this side of him.

"Really. I wrote Heal the World in this very spot," he paused when she raised up and faced him. She was clearly surprised by this. "I also wrote Black or White here. You should come out here on your own sometime and see what this tree can do for you."

He smiled sweetly at her and brushed a hair behind her ear. She caught herself eyeing his lips once again and that odd feeling of warmth came back. "Michael…"

"Mikey bear, where are you?" a voice called from the bottom of the tree.

"Oh no, not Cruella," Ramona grumbled.

Michael giggled and shook his head. "You've been talking to Dunk too much. Let me go down first and distract her so you can get away."

Ramona nodded and watched as he worked his way down the branches. She had to make sure she did it like him so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself. She winced as she felt a few punches on her hands. She looked down and noticed ants were climbing up her hands and arms and they were biting her. She slapped them away and scratched her hands while more ants worked their way onto her neck and shoulders.

"Little buggers, get off of me," she growled softly. She began a fast descent on the tree, stopping to slap at the ants that just wouldn't leave her alone. She glanced around before she got too low on the tree to make sure Lisa was no where in sight. When she felt it was safe, she continued her way down until the ants began biting her neck and just above her breasts. She let go of the branch to slap at them and fell the rest of the way down, hitting the ground chest first.

Her scar began to burn like a wild fire and she flipped onto her side in the fetal position, trying to regain her breath. She made herself roll onto her knees and sat like that for a moment before the ants began biting her again.

"Ray, you alright? I saw that nasty fall!" Janet came out just in time.

"The ants are trying to devour me!" Ramona growled as the slapped at herself and scratched. She stumbled to her feet and gasped when the sprinklers popped out of the ground and began spraying the lawn. Janet and Ramona both shrieked at the cold water before jumping out of the way. "Well, that takes care of the ants," Ramona said, panting.

"That's good to know," Janet laughed. "Come on, let's go get you dried off and go out for a while. Mike will be stuck with the devil woman for a while."

"Oh?" she asked. "I feel sorry for him. Do you think we can just stay in tonight? I'm pretty tired," Ramona said, yawning a bit. Janet giggled.

"If you want to. I'm not sure how long Mike will be kept away this time. He is shooting a new video and Cruella is supposed to be a big part of it," she nearly snarled at the thought.

"Well, it's about time he made a new video," Ramona snickered. "What song is it?"

"You Are Not Alone," Janet said.

"I adore that song. It calms my spirit when I listen to it. I used to play it when I lived on the beach. It went well with the sunset."

Janet smiled and hooked her arm in Ramona's. "Alright, enough about my big brother and his evil fiancé. Let's go to your place and pick us out some movies."

Ramona smiled and nodded as they headed off toward her house.


	9. Chapter 9

Lisa and Michael were on the set, making the newest music video, and Michael was rather agitated at the moment. The director had decided to have both of them nude for certain scenes and it embarrassed him. What made things worse was Lisa was on this makeshift bed with him, only covering her lower half with a sheet, and she was whispering into his ear. He was told to smile lovingly at her while she whispered to him, and believe me, it was a forced smile.

The director called for the scene to begin and Lisa leaned forward. "So how is that little leach of yours doing?"

Michael clenched his teeth and grumbled low. "Ramona is doing fine, thanks."

"I'm so glad she finally has her own place, although I don't like the fact that she's so close by," she whispered with a grin.

"What do you care? You're never there, anyway," he grumbled as he got up. "Cut the scene," he called out.

Frank Dileo walked out with Michael's robe and handed it to him. "What's up with you today, Mike? I thought you wanted to do this video."

Michael slipped on the robe and glanced back at Lisa. She covered herself and winked at Michael and he groaned. "I'm sorry, Frank. I want to do this video, but I'm just not in the zone today."

Frank watched Michael as his frustrations were made clear on his face. He knew Mike was having a hard time with Lisa. He also knew that Lisa was quite the spoiled little brat and he wasn't so sure she was really in this for love. He had a sneaking suspicion she just wanted the fame. He just wasn't sure how to approach Michael with it.

"How many more scenes do I have to be here for? I have a busy schedule to keep to, you know," Lisa was pestering the director and Frank listened in. She didn't want to be here at all.

"We just have to finish this last scene and then we cut to the scene with you bending over Michael, and then you will be done with your part," the director stated, looking over his paperwork.

Lisa grunted and then stomped off like a little kid, all the while she was being watched by Frank and now Derek. She walked around the corner and leaned on a wall, pulling out her cell phone and making a call. Frank and Derek exchanged glances before they gravitated closer.

"Hey, I'll be stuck shooting this stupid video for about another hour or so. Wait for me, okay?" she paused and then giggled while she bit her nail seductively. "I know. Don't start without me now," she said in a sweet tone before she hung up. She glanced over and saw Derek giving her a knowing look and she flipped her phone into her purse and flipped her hair over her shoulder before walking away.

"Don't you find it funny that she's never talked to Mike like that?" Frank asked Derek.

"Who doesn't talk to me like what?" Michael walked up behind them feeling a little refreshed.

"Oh nothing, just rambling. Do you feel any better?" Derek asked.

"I will once the bitching ends," he grumbled. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just not myself today."

"Lisa giving you crap?" Derek asked again.

Michael quirked a brow and took a breath before nodding. "How did you…?"

"It's not hard to guess, Mike. She makes everyone edgy when she's around," Frank responded. "Why don't you call that friend of yours? Maybe checking in on her will make you feel a little more relaxed," he suggested.

Michael's eyes lit up a little at the idea and he smirked before pulling out his phone. "That's a wonderful idea. Thanks Frankie," he patted his shoulder before walking away with the phone to his ear.

"There definitely needs to be some work done here," Derek said while watching Mike pace the hallway with his phone.

"Like what?" Frank asked.

"Obviously Lisa is up to no good, and she is only upsetting Michael. Ramona on the other hand, just the sound of her name makes him light up. Get where I'm going with this?"

"I get it, but Mike is a grown man. I think he will figure things out for himself," Frank said as he thought for a moment.

"Let me guess, you tried talking him out of being with Miss Fancy Pants, and he shot you down?"

"Like a duck, he did. I tried, Derek, really I did. But Mike is stubborn and he knows what he wants. All we can do is stand by and continue to support him."

Derek nodded and they both eventually walked away. Michael called Ramona at home and his stomach did a flip when she answered. He hadn't spoken to her in 3 days.

"Hey, Ray. How's my babygirl today?" Michael asked sweetly.

Ramona blushed at the other end of the phone. "I'm good, thank you. How's my tomcat?"

Michael chuckled at her name for him. It was better than snookie, he supposed. "I'm okay."

"Just okay? Uh oh…" she replied. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, really. I'm just a little stressed out," he said honestly.

"Sounds like more than a little to me. Cruella being feisty again?" she asked.

"More than you know," he groaned. Ramona giggled and it made him smile. Deep down, he knew there was something special to him and Ray's relationship. She could make him feel things that Lisa could never make him feel.

"How much longer until you're free from her clutches?" Ramona said in a silly tone.

Michael smiled. "According to the director, we have 2 more scenes to finish and then she will be done. I, however, need maybe another day or so before it's completed."

"Sounds fun. Can I do anything to help your stress level?" she asked.

Michael smiled again. She was so sweet and considerate. He thought for a moment before he grinned. "How about you come down to the studio after Lisa leaves? Maybe my babygirl can re-inspire me."

Ramona blushed again before glancing back at Janet. She had been staying with Ramona during the evenings. They were really becoming great friends. "You want me to come to the studio?" she asked while looking at Janet. Janet sat up on her knees on the couch and nodded her head furiously. Ramona giggled. "Okay, sure. Just send me a text when Cruella is gone."

"You got it, babygirl. I better go finish this scene," he said quietly.

"Okay. Have fun," she said.

"Oh, and Ray?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for cheering me up. I lo…I um, appreciate it," Michael stuttered for a moment. Was he really about to say what he thought?

"No problem, tomcat. Bye," she smiled and hung up. Thankfully she hadn't noticed his little slip.

"Let's get these scenes over with, Mikey!" Lisa called from the set. Michael rolled his eyes before putting away his phone.

_Later…_

Ramona sat back on the couch after she took a shower. She dressed herself in casual clothes, not knowing what to wear at a studio. It's not like she was going to be a part of anything. She dressed in a pair of white jeans and a black v-neck tank top and pulled her hair back in a partial ponytail. Michael had taught her that look and she adored it. She also put on a black cuff on her arm that he had given her for what Michael liked to call their "2 month friendaversary". Ramona chuckled to herself. And what was up with him on the phone earlier? He sounded like he was about to say…

"Earth to Ray!" Janet said, waving her hand in front of Ramona. She blinked before she looked up and noticed Janet was holding her phone in front of her. "He texted you. Do you want a ride?"

"Oh, um, yeah. Let me grab my shoes," she sat up as Janet giggled at her. "Stop laughing at me," she laughed as she threw a nearby couch pillow at Janet.

"I'm sorry, but your deer in the headlight look is almost as funny as Mike's, if not funnier," she laughed.

Ramona paused as she was tying her last shoe. "He gets that look? I never would've guessed…"

"Yeah, well don't tell him I told you that. I don't feel like getting ambushed with the super soakers again."

They both laughed as Ramona locked up her house and Janet drove her to the studio. She was given directions where to go after she showed her I.D. to security. Ramona said her goodbyes to Janet and walked into the studio. She studied the set and looked around in awe. It was really beautiful how the colors worked well with each other.

"There's my babygirl!" Michael's voice rang from across the room. Ramona jumped and turned to see him standing up from his chair in his robe. He pushed the makeup artist aside and then blushed furiously. Everyone on set was looking between Michael and Ramona, no doubt wondering why he was calling her his babygirl.

Ramona shook it off and ran up to Michael, enveloping him in a huge hug. "Hey tomcat!"

Michael hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. "I missed you," he whispered.

Ramona got chills up her spine and she shook it off and smiled sweetly at him. "I missed you too. So what's up?" she asked as he sat her down in a chair across from his. He looked a little frustrated in her opinion.

"Well, we got done with Lisa's part, and I looked over what the director had planned for the rest of the video, but it feels like something's missing."

Ramona reached forward at the stack of papers Michael had in his hand. "May I?" she asked. He nodded and handed the papers to her and she took her time looking through it. "This is supposed to be You Are Not Alone, right?" he nodded. "So what kind of video did you envision with this song?"

Michael thought for a moment. "There's a strong message in this song. I would like people to decide for themselves, really. But I would also like to have this kind of song to be around when I am no longer here, you know? Something my fans can hear long after I'm gone and receive some kind of comfort."

Ramona bit her lip. Her scar was burning. That seemed to happen when she had a sudden change of emotion. And hearing Michael talking about him not being around really got to her. She let the papers go limp in her hands as she focused on her breathing for a moment.

Michael looked up from his concentrating gaze and noticed Ramona's features. It was very rare for him to see emotion in her, and it caught him off guard most of the time. She looked like she was sad and in pain. "Ray? What's wrong, babygirl?" he reached forward and patted her knee.

She blinked a few times and then put her mask back on. "Nothing, I was just thinking."

Michael gave her a look and then pulled his hand back. "About?"

"If that's the kind of message you want, why not add a little spirituality in there?" she suggested.

Michael thought for a moment. "Details?"

Ramona chewed on her lip and flipped through the papers one more time. "You as an angel, maybe? You want to let your fans know that they're not alone, and to see you as an angel might add to that affect you want for them."

Michael pondered this before smiling. "You are amazing, do you know that?" he got up and kissed her head before walking to the director. She blushed in her chair and glanced at Karen, his makeup artist. She gave her a knowing look and Ramona shrugged.

They spent the rest of that day ironing out the details Michael wanted. Ramona stepped outside a few times when he had to take off his robe. Michael was incredibly beautiful, she had to admit. When he was clothed and working away from her, she was recording him.

It was then, that she had an interesting idea of what to do with these videos she keeps recording. She wouldn't be able to get started until she had plenty more, and she was perfectly okay with that.

**(A/N) Forgive me for being so late on this update everyone! This story has become difficult to keep up with. Thanks for reviewing this story and of course, all ideas are welcome! I will try to update as soon as I can, I promise! Much .L.O.V.E. **


	10. Chapter 10

Ramona was sitting back in her chair at her desk, printing off her newest column when her phone chirped to life. She glanced at the screen on the phone and noticed it was her boss, Charlie. She turned away from her printer and picked up the receiver.

"Good morning, Charlie," she smiled.

"Good morning, angel," he snickered. Ramona loved her boss. When he was having a good day, he was quite playful. It was no wonder Michael was friends with him.

"What can I do for you, sir?" she asked.

"I need to see you in my office as soon as you can, please," he replied politely.

"Alright, let me finish printing off my latest column and I'll be right there."

"Okay, see you then," he hung up and she smiled before returning back to her printer. Right as the last page hit the tray underneath the printer, her cell phone chimed with a new text message. She cocked her head to the side and then smirked. Only one person texted her while she was at work. She opened her phone and smiled.

_**New Message from Tomcat**_

_Hey babygirl. Just checking up on you, making sure you haven't killed yourself with a bad papercut or something._

Ramona rolled her eyes and texted him back. _What the heck is that supposed to mean?_

Her phone chimed again in a matter of minutes. _Nothing at all, sweetface. You are just clumsy, that's all._

_Shut up, Mike. I'll see you tonight at your place. Same time, right?_

_Yes ma'am. Lisa is out with her girlfriends, so no intrusions tonight. See you soon. _

_Okay. And Mike?_

_Yes?_

_Don't call me sweetface._

_Duly noted. Cya_

Ramona giggled as she tossed her phone back into her purse and headed to Charlie's office. She knocked lightly on the door twice before letting herself in and dropping her finished column down on his desk.

"Ah, Ramona, right on time," he stood and greeted her before glancing over her shoulder.

She turned to see a few of the other writers from the company all sitting at a round table in the back of his office. Ramona secretly envied Charlie. His office was rather large and he decorated it well. He had enough room to fit his large mahogany desk, a flat screen television, and a rather large round table in the back of the room for meetings. He also had a refrigerator and a large plush couch in the room. Not to mention a killer view.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" she asked nervously.

"No, we were just sitting down to a meeting. Please, join us," he said as he pulled out a chair for her. She nodded and sat down with the rest of her coworkers and listened intently. "So, I have been thinking about new stories. Our ratings should be higher than this by now, and yet they aren't. We need something more, and I think I may have found a solution."

"You have been looking up things on Yahoo Answers again, haven't you?" Ramona's coworker, Amber asked.

"You caught me," Charlie said with his hands up. Everyone chuckled lightly. "It's a good source from the outside. Finding out what answers haven't been given for what the people want to know. And there is one big question that I can almost guarantee a huge portion of the world would like to know," he paused for a moment and everyone sat up in curiosity. "The people want to know, what happened to the girl from Bucharest that took the bullet for MJ."

Ramona bit her tongue. This wasn't something she was prepared for. No one knew she was the one from Bucharest, except for Derek, and she intended on keeping it that way until she was ready to tell Michael herself. She was so afraid of losing him as her best friend once he knew. It wasn't like she was lying to him though, she was just keeping a secret. A really big secret.

"With that being said, Ramona?" she snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Charlie. "Do you think you can interview Michael for us? You are his other half, after all."

"Um, I…I don't know if that's such a good idea," Ramona stuttered for a moment. Use your words, Ramona!

"Why wouldn't it be a good idea? No one knows what happened to this girl…"

"I do…" she muttered before she blinked furiously. "I do…like this story idea. I just don't want to intrude on Mike like that. It may be a sore subject for him," Ramona forced out.

"Please do this for me, Ramona. Michael trusts you more than anyone I know. And if you get the story, there will be a raise in it for you, and your own office," Charlie bribed her. She wasn't sure what to think of that, or how to feel. Damn these stupid emotions. Why did it have to be so hard to register emotion. What was she supposed to say?

"I'll talk with him tonight and see what I can do," she said, feeling defeated.

"Wonderful! I'll expect an update Monday morning. Everyone else, have a wonderful weekend and bring me some juicy stories Monday!" Charlie clapped his hands together as everyone filed out of his office. Ramona remained frozen in her thoughts, not sure of what to think or to say. What was she going to tell Michael? She didn't want to upset him. Michael and her never really discussed Bucharest before. She was honestly dreading the day he would bring it up, but she was willing to bite her tongue and listen to how he felt about the whole thing. She wasn't sure if she would be able to lie to his face, if she had to. She was honestly terrified she was going to lose her resolve. "You okay, Ramona?" Charlie asked.

"Huh? Oh, yes I'm sorry. I guess I just lost my train of thought for the moment. I'd better go and get some questions prepared," she spoke carefully and then stood up slowly, and finally made her way back to her desk. She was asking herself if she could honestly do this without breaking the news to him.

_Later that night…_

Ramona walked into Michael's front door and was greeted with a bowl of gummy bears. She grinned widely and hugged him. "You read my mind."

"That's what I'm good at," he smirked.

"So, what are we watching tonight?" she asked as she made her way to the couch. Michael smiled and sat down next to her, pulling her feet into his lap and grabbing the remote.

"I figured you would be up for a Disney movie tonight, so I ordered Tangled. But there is one thing I want to show you first," he smiled at her when her eyes lit up.

This was their routine. They had movie night every Friday night. Michael and Ramona would sit on his couch in the living room and watch a movie. He would have the snacks ready when she arrived and she would always sit next to him with her feet propped up in his lap. Lisa would go out with her girlfriends and most of the time would be gone all night. Michael would entertain her, and they would laugh and joke around. At the end of the movie, Ramona would fall asleep and Michael would put her in the guest bedroom for the night, then she would wake up early and give him a kiss on the cheek and head home before Lisa ever came home.

"What do you got?" she asked.

He hit a button on the remote and his music video, You Are Not Alone, began to play. Ramona sat up and sat the bowl of gummy bears aside.

"It's finished?" she asked.

"Yes. It hasn't aired to the public yet. This is my own personal copy. I haven't seen the finished product yet myself," he shrugged.

She grinned and nudged him as they watched the video. When Lisa appeared on screen, they both tensed up a bit. Ramona stiffened a bit and held her breath. This was an all new feeling for her. She wasn't sure what to think. Then she saw Michael and Lisa on a bed together, and they were nude. She tore her eyes from the screen and Michael fidgeted in his seat. He reached for the remote and skipped ahead.

"I guess I didn't realize how affectionate we were supposed to be in this video," he said nervously.

Ramona didn't speak. He skipped ahead until he got to the scene with him as an angel. Her eyes lit up at the image. "That is absolutely perfect," she said.

Michael blushed a little. "Really?"

"You as an angel. That would be the perfect image for your fans. Perfect comfort if you ever…" Ramona paused as she had a flashback of the Bucharest concert. The images flashed through her mind of the man with the gun, the gunshot, Michael's look of absolute dread as he leaned over her on the stage. How is it possible he hadn't recognized her? Maybe she could get some answers when she interviewed him.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

She straightened up and took a deep breath. "Yeah," she said, almost in a whisper. Her scar was burning so badly, it felt like it was on fire. Another flashback haunted her mind of the surgeon she had spoken to in the hospital after she had been shot.

"_So miss Greene, you are a lucky young woman. How are you feeling?" the surgeon asked. _

_Ramona sat up slowly in her bed, the grogginess of the anesthesia wearing off. "I'm okay. When can I leave?"_

"_Whoa slow down, tiger. We have to keep you for a few days. We were able to repair the tear you had in your shoulder and chest, but unfortunately we couldn't locate the bullet. We need to make sure you don't get a bad infection from it."_

"_Oh, I see," she said quietly. "Any long term problems in it for me?"_

"_Perhaps. We won't know for sure. You will most likely need to see a regular doctor for the rest of your life."_

"What's bothering you, babygirl?" Michael's voice snapped her back to reality. "And don't you dare tell me it's nothing."

Ramona had to think fast, but there was only thing she could think of. "Charlie gave me a new assignment today. A new story that will give us ratings," she spoke slowly.

"Yeah? What about?"

"You," she paused as he looked at her with confusion. "I told him I wasn't sure about it and he told me there was a promotion in it for me…" she spoke so quickly that Michael almost missed it.

"Okay, calm down. Let's hear it," he smiled.

"The story is supposed to be about the incident in Bucharest," she said carefully. Michael's lips tightened in a thin line and Ramona shook her head. "I'm sorry I brought it up. I knew it was a bad idea. Just forget I said anything."

"No, it's okay. I guess it's time for me to open up to someone about that night. Who better than my best friend, right?" he said sweetly. "So what would you like to know?"

She sighed and pulled out her notebook and began a series of questions for him. How it made him feel, if he knew who she was, what happened afterword. She took a deep breath after each answer he gave her. The pain he went through was tearing her heart to pieces. Not only was her best friend still hurting over the incident, it was because of her that he felt this way.

"So, have you ever seen her again?" she asked carefully.

"No, sadly I haven't. I have kept my eyes peeled for her, but then again, I really don't know what she looks like," he paused as his brows knitted together in deep thought. "When I was close enough to her face, she was sweaty and her hair clung to her face. Her makeup on her eyes was smeared across her face and her eyes…oh my God her eyes were almost as black as night. Almost like she had no…emotion."

Ramona wrote down her notes and bit back tears. "I'm…sorry," she said quietly. "She must have been…so relieved to see that you weren't harmed." A tear slid down her face and Michael had yet to notice. He had his elbows resting on his knees and he was in deep thought.

"I guess so. I just don't understand how someone would risk their life for someone they don't even know. What must it be like, to save someone's life?" he paused and then sat up. "You know what it's like. Tell me," he said as he turned to her.

"What?" she asked nervously. Her hair was covering her face and she wiped her tears before he could see it.

"You saved your brother when he had cancer, or at least you gave him a bit more time by doing what you did…" immediately Michael regretted bringing it up. He forgot he wasn't supposed to know that about her. He read that in her journal.

"How did you know about that?" she asked in shock. "Did you…" she paused and Michael looked down in shame. "You read my journal? Michael how could you?" she had an overwhelming feel of fear and anger. 2 emotions at once. Needless to say, she was freaking out. If he read her journal, then surely he knows who she is, right?

"I'm sorry, Ray! You left it on my counter and I got curious. Come on, don't be mad. It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal? Michael, you invaded my privacy! How would that make you feel if someone invaded your privacy like that?" she yelled.

"Um, hello? People do that to me constantly. It's called paparazzi. At least you know it was your best friend that read it instead of a perfect stranger," he said softly.

"Exactly my point, Michael! My best friend! Someone I should be able to trust not to invade my personal space!" Ramona stumbled back a few feet and began to shake. Her scar was burning worse than it ever had before.

"I think you're over reacting," Michael said as he stood up.

"No, you over reacted when you read my journal," she snapped.

Michael began to get angry with her. "Maybe I wouldn't have to read your journal if you would open up to me a little more."

"What the hell, Mike? You know I haven't had a social life in years. How can you expect me to just spill out everything to someone I just met?"

"I don't care what your past was like, Ramona! You may have had social problems back then, but that's no excuse to stay that way!"

Ramona took a step back and he did the same. This was the first time they ever felt anger toward each other and neither one of them liked it. Ramona was taken aback. He was right. There was no excuse to stay this way. She should open up to him more. Michael immediately felt like a jerk. Ramona had tears in her eyes and she probably didn't know how to process what she was feeling. They stood frozen for a few moments before they both just embraced each other out of nowhere.

"I'm so sorry, babygirl. Please, don't cry. I'm sorry," he whispered as he rubbed her back.

She buried her face into his chest and cried. "I'm sorry too, Mike. I will try to open up more, I promise."

"Take your time. I will help you," Michael backed away just enough to see her face. She smiled weakly at him and he smirked as he wiped her tears. Then he instinctively kissed her forehead and bit back the urge to tell her he loved her. He wasn't in love with her, he told himself. He loved her as a best friend. But saying that to her would only confuse her more.

She stepped back after a moment and yawned. Michael chuckled and took her hand, leading her back to the couch. "I really am sorry, Mike. I don't wanna fight with you. You're my best friend," she whimpered.

"Never again," Michael whispered as he pulled her into his lap and pressed the play button on the remote. "Now, back to our movie night."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Ramona was reliving the nightmare of that horrid night in Bucharest. She found herself standing in the crowd watching Michael dance and sing across the stage. She smiled weakly at him when he winked at her. She didn't want to be there. She knew what would happen next, but seeing Michael smiling and on stage where he belonged was making it hard for her not to smile. Then she heard it. That now unsettling sound of the gunman. Ramona didn't bother to look behind her, she just ran to the stage and once again, argued with Derek. She hit him and rushed the stage and again, her ears picked up the deafening pop of the gun and she was on the ground. Everything at that point was in slow motion. The lights were bright in her eyes. She lay there staring into the stage lights as Michael's face came into view. He reached for her face and delicately moved a strand of her hair from her face and she winced.**_

"_**Get out of here, Mike," she mumbled, turning her head away from him.**_

"_**Ramona?" she heard him say. She looked at him wide-eyed. He knew who she was? "Ray, wake up babygirl," he said as he put his hands on her shoulders. **_

Her eyes fluttered open and Michael was leaning over her with concern showing clearly in his eyes. "Where…what…" she stuttered for a moment trying to figure out where she was. She gasped suddenly and rose up quickly, bashing her forehead into Michael's. They both fell backward and groaned.

"Ouchie," he mumbled. "Remind me to keep my distance next time I try to wake you."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. She looked down at her chest and looked around the room for a moment. "What time is it?"

"It's 6:30 in the morning. Lisa should be home any time now and you have a column to write, remember?" he asked her sweetly.

She nodded and then stood up. "I've got to stop falling asleep here. I don't want to risk us getting caught."

"We will cross that bridge when we get there, babygirl. This is you and me. Best friends for life. No one can ever get in the way of that," he winked at her and she smiled and nodded. He grinned and hugged her tightly and then escorted her to the door. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"Nah, I'll be fine. Thanks for a wonderful night, tomcat," she smiled and hugged him when they got to his front porch and then she leaned to the side and kissed his cheek. He blushed and kissed her cheek as well.

"Call me later if you need any help," he winked one last time as she turned and made her way back home.

Little did she know, a car with tinted windows was parked a little down the road, and Lisa was watching her kiss Michael on the cheek. Her blood boiled. Did she sleep with him? Why was she hanging around and spending the night with her fiancé?

"Did I miss something?" the man in the driver seat asked her. "Why is she here?"

"I don't know, but it won't be happening anymore on my watch," she gritted her teeth.

"How can you be watching if you're never here anymore?" he asked her. She shot him a look and he shrugged before her look eased and she sighed.

"You're right. I need to get the ball back in my court, now. I'll call you later," she kissed the man passionately for a moment and he slapped her butt as she slid out of the passenger door and headed into the house.

_A few hours later…_

Michael's phone rang as he stood in the studio in front of a large mirror. Janet's music was playing low behind him and he was watching himself as he experimented with new moves. When his phone rang, he tapped the stereo with his foot and stopped the music to pick it up.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Help," Ramona groaned on the other end of the line.

Michael smirked. "Already? You know, you can't have me write this for you," he teased.

"I know, I just can't seem to find the right words. It's so strange. I see the finished product in my head, but then putting it on paper is a whole new problem," she paced in her living room chewing on the end of her pen.

"Trust me, I know the feeling. I get that same problem when I write new songs. I hear the product in my mind, but then putting it all out there on tape is difficult. I need to make sure to get every instrument to sound exactly the way I envision it in my head, every beat, every tempo, all on one tape," he paused in thought.

Ramona froze in her tracks as he told her this. She already knew he never really wrote lyrics down on paper. He put everything on a cassette tape until he memorized the songs. She wished she knew how he did that, but then he just admitted he had problems himself. "So, what do you do to fix the problem?"

Michael smiled into the phone. "The Giving Tree. I'll tell you what, tomorrow is Sunday and I have a meeting I have to be at, and then I am supposed to make an appearance at the children's burn unit downtown. Why don't you come to Neverland while I'm gone and sit in that spot I showed you? It might do you some good," he suggested.

"How long will you be gone?" she asked. "I mean, I don't want to intrude on anyone since you won't be there," she bit her lip.

"You wouldn't be intruding, believe me," Michael chuckled. "Everyone here loves you, aside from Lisa anyway. Come on, you know you want to at least see Thriller again," he winked, though he knew she couldn't see him.

She blushed as if she could literally feel him wink at her. "Alright, if you insist."

_The following morning…_

Ramona arrived right on time and was met at the gate by Derek. "Hey, sugar! Where have you been?"

She smiled at him and touched his arm as she walked beside him. "Oh you know, I've been around. How have you been?"

"Good, good. However I have never been shot, so I would be better than you as far as that goes," he said.

"Sh!" Ramona covered his mouth and then blushed when she realized they were alone. "You need to stop saying these things in public. Besides, I'm fine," she snorted.

"Are you?" he asked.

"Yes?" she hesitated.

"Is that why you look like you're in pain when you get upset or angry?" she shot him a look. "You can't hide that from me. You can hide it from Mike all you want, but not me. Are you ever…"

"Yes, okay? Relax already! I will tell him when the time is right," she retorted. "I'll see you later. I have a date with a big cat."

Derek let it go. He wanted to know why she kept holding back and not telling Michael the truth. Deep down, he believed if she would just tell him, maybe, just maybe, Michael would wise up and kick Lisa to the curb. Ramona was so much better for him anyway. Everyone can see that. Everyone except Michael and Ramona, anyway.

"Hey Raybug!" Marie called when Ramona stepped inside the house.

"Hey Marie. How are you?" she asked as she hugged Marie.

"I'm great, thank you. How are you?"

"Good good. I was just going to change clothes real fast and head out to the tiger den," Ramona smiled.

Marie grinned and nodded. "Michael told me you were coming. You can just set your things on the bar and change in the bathroom next to Michael's bedroom. Enrique is excited to see you again," Marie winked.

Ramona rolled her eyes. "Yea, I don't know why, but alright," she shrugged and placed her carrying case that held her laptop and notebook on the bar and she stretched before grabbing a sack of her clothes and turned for the bathroom.

"Hey, you are a beautiful young woman. Any man would be lucky to have you," she stated simply before turning away and continuing her work.

Ramona smirked over her shoulder and went into the bathroom. When she closed the door, she leaned against it and sighed. "Too bad Michael doesn't see things that way," she mumbled to herself. She snapped her head up and looked at herself in the mirror. Was she insane? Michael is her best friend. She doesn't want to ruin what they have by going all high school girly on him. She splashed water in her face and changed clothes, finally heading out to the tiger den.

_Meanwhile…_

Marie was currently on the phone with Michael. He had called the house between meetings to see if Ramona had arrived. At that same moment, Lisa came in the door. Marie had her back to the living room as she stood in the den on the other side of the kitchen. Lisa stopped and listened as she heard Michael's name.

"Yea, Mike, she is so sweet. You got lucky to have her in your life," Marie said sweetly. Lisa smiled at that. She was glad her efforts this morning seemed to change Marie's mind about her. When Lisa walked in, she doubled the sweet attitude toward Michael. She gave him a light massage and cooked him breakfast. She was even sweet to the workers when they came around.

"I know I am. Where is she now?" he asked.

"Oh, she just changed clothes and headed out to the den," she said. Lisa's smile vanished immediately. "I can't believe how much those tigers love her. They took to her the first day she met them, and it took them weeks to get used to me alone," she grinned.

Lisa frowned. 'I could get those tigers to love me just as easily,' she snorted to herself. 'Won't Mikey be happy to see me playing with his animals instead of that leach.' She smiled and went into Michael's room to change. She came in wearing a bright red knee length dress that was off the shoulder. It hugged her curves tightly and she knew playing with tigers in a dress wasn't a good idea. She changed into her black dress pants and a fancy white blouse with ruffles around the neckline and shoulders. She smiled at herself in the mirror in approval and headed out to the tiger den.

When she arrived, she looked around seeing only one tiger laying in the grass. She didn't see anyone around so she let herself in the pen. Thriller's ear twitched and he rose his head up when Lisa approached. He smelled the air in her direction and picked up the strong scent of her perfume and sneezed.

"Here, kitty kitty," she said. Thriller snorted at her before sitting up. He gave her a warning growl to stay away, but Lisa didn't know tiger language. Thriller was the boss around here. You are to never approach him first. Michael told that to everyone who ever wished to meet Thriller up close. Sabu was more of a laid back cat. He only followed Thriller's action, and if Thriller wasn't happy, neither was Sabu.

_Inside the den…_

"Glad to see your beautiful smile around here again, mi corazone," Enrique smiled at Ramona as she brushed Sabu.

"Thanks, and please don't call me that," she said nicely.

"Force of habit," he shrugged. "I call all of the ladies mi corazone."

"Ah, I see. A real ladies man, are you?" Ramona teased.

"Not with all of them apparently," he teased back and nodded in her direction.

"Yea, well I am not like most ladies I suppose."

"That's what Mr. Jackson tells me," he said as he stretched and reached for a bucket on a shelf full of the tigers' toys. Sabu sat up and looked toward the den door.

"He talks about me?" she asked surprised. She felt Sabu vibrate under her hand and she looked down at him. His hackles on his back came up and he was growling low in his chest. "What's wrong, boy?" she asked as she scratched his ears. He sniffed the air and then sneezed.

"No…bad tiger! No, stop that!" Ramona and Enrique glanced at each other as they heard a woman's voice yelling just outside the den. Ramona mentally groaned. She was hoping to avoid Cruella today, but now she has to be the bigger person and save her from becoming kitty chow.

Sabu trotted out in front of Ramona and Enrique and they both froze in the doorway. Thriller had Lisa by the leg of her pants and he was dragging her around and shaking his head like she was a toy. She was on her back trying to crawl away from him.

"Thriller!" Ramona and Enrique called him. He didn't look up. He pulled again and growled as Lisa kicked him in the nose. "Lisa, don't move!" Ramona yelled as she pulled out a big knotted rope. Sabu's ears perked up and Ramona slapped the ground with it. Finally, Thriller's ear twitched and he looked at Ramona. The moment he saw the rope, his favorite toy, he dropped Lisa and ran in her direction. Ramona laughed and swung it in the air as he tackled her and wrestled with her for the toy.

Lisa watched in frustration. Thriller was supposed to be nice to her. What the hell just happened? She stood angrily and brushed herself off. "Leave it to you to befriend animals," she snorted.

Ramona looked up from under Thriller and then rose up, laying her head on his back. Sabu bumped his head against Ramona's and purred loudly. "Don't get mad, Lisa. Just be happy Thriller was gentle on you this time."

"You call this gentle?" she shrieked as she pointed at her now shredded pant leg.

"Well," Ramona shrugged. "Maybe if you spent more time around here, they would get the chance to know you better."

Lisa bit her tongue and forced a smile on her face. If she wanted her plan to go through, she needed everyone to believe she had changed. "You're right," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm gonna go change and go shopping. Would you like anything to eat?" she asked.

Ramona blinked a few times and glanced at Enrique. He was just as shocked as she was at Lisa's sudden mood swing. "Um, no. Thank you though. I'm going to finish up here and write my column in the giving tree, and then I will be heading home."

"Okay. Let me know if you need anything," she said nicely as she turned and walked back to the house. She snarled to herself the second her back was turned to Ramona. This nice act was gonna be harder than she thought. Once she got to the house, she walked to Michael's room and shut the door. She picked up her phone and dialed a number. "Hey handsome. It looks like our plan needs to be put in motion," she whispered into the phone.

"Consider it done," the man's voice replied.

Later on, Ramona found herself in the beautiful tree. She decided just to take a notebook with her in case she got clumsy and fell. She didn't want to break her laptop. She propped herself up on the branch Michael had shown her and she rested her back against the branch just as he had before. She felt a sudden chill and goosebumps rose on her skin. She shared a very special moment with Michael in this very spot.

"That was a weird feeling," she mumbled. "What is wrong with me?" she asked herself. She looked around to make sure no aunts were in sight and she shook her head and sat back for a moment. So far, she wasn't getting any inspiration. She breathed in deep and set her head back against the branch as the leaves separated above her just enough to let in a few small rays of sunshine. The light warmed her face and she smiled. "That's it!" she said as inspiration struck. She pulled the pencil from behind her ear and began her writing. Michael was right about this tree. It was incredible! She couldn't wait to tell him the news.

_The next day…_

"Here we go! 3 pages full of the best Q & A I have ever done," Ramona grinned as she plopped the column down on her boss's desk.

He snatched it up and read over it before smiling brightly. "That's my girl! I knew you could do it! Let's get this baby published. Oh, by the way, I hired someone new to take your old place. He will be taking your old desk," he said.

Ramona had to think for a moment. "I'm being moved?"

"I told you I was going to promote you for this column, didn't I?" he said as he ruffled her hair. She smiled brightly and hugged him.

"Thank you!"

"No, thank you," he smiled and hugged her back. "Now then, go gather your things. Your office is next door to mine," he winked.

She smiled and nodded and headed back to her desk. She put everything she needed in one box and headed to the office that her boss told her about. Her name was already on the door. She turned the knob with her free hand and walked in, flipping the lights on with her elbow. The office was still smaller than Charlie's, but it was still a lot bigger than she imagined. She had her own couch and there had been artwork placed around the room. Familiar looking artwork, in her opinion. She rolled her eyes and then looked at her huge mahogany desk. There was a gift wrapped box sitting on the center of her desk and she cocked her head to the side. She placed her box down on the floor and studied the name tag on the present.

_Congrats on the promotion, babygirl. I knew you could do it! _

_PS – I know I promised no more gifts, but I thought this would be a perfect thing to set on your new desk. Enjoy!_

_Love, Tomcat_

Ramona giggled and then tore into the present. What she found made her eyes water. It was a silver framed photo of her and Michael at the amusement park. Derek must have snapped the picture when she wasn't paying attention. Ramona was up on Michael's back with her legs wrapped around his waist and his hands holding her legs up. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and she was looking down at him smiling. He had his head leaned to the side and he was looking up at her with a huge smile on his face. Both were surrounded by Disney characters.

"This is perfect," she said as she sat it on her desk. She sighed deeply and began unpacking her things.

"Knock knock," a man's voice came from her doorway.

"Oh, hello," she said as she straightened up to shake the man's hand. He was a decent looking man, she thought. He stood just a bit shorter than Michael and his hair came down to his eyes. He had a backstreet boy haircut, or so Michael called it. 'Dang it, Ramona, stop comparing guys to Michael.'

"I'm Luke, the new guy," he smiled. "You are the famous Ramona Greene, my trainer, right?"

Ramona nodded. "I guess I am. Welcome to the business."

"Thank you," he said as he looked around the room. He stopped when his eyes caught the photo on her desk. "Big fan of MJ, I see?"

"You could say that," she smiled as she unpacked her box.

He leaned over and looked at it more closely. "That's one heck of a photoshop finish," he said.

Ramona paused and looked up at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"It is photoshopped, isn't it?" he asked as he glanced down at her. He couldn't help but think she was pretty hot the way she bent over the box like that.

"No, actually it's not. Michael and I are friends," she said slowly. "Charlie didn't give you the details about me, did he?"

"I suppose not. Well then, I better get to work. Charlie already gave me a few things to do today while you get settled," he said.

Ramona stood up again. "Oh? Like what?"

"My first mission would be to help you move," he winked at her and she blushed.

'Why am I blushing? Michael is the only one that has ever made me blush…oh stop it Ramona, damn,' she scolded herself.

Luke noticed the many expressions she had on her face and leaned closer to her. "If you would rather do it alone, I understand."

"Oh, no it's okay," she stuttered. "I guess I could use help with my computer and printer."

"Consider it done, beautiful," he bowed and then headed out the door. Ramona stared at the doorway for a moment before she sighed and looked out the window at her new view. This guy seemed kind of strange but nice at the same time. She was afraid of getting close to anyone else, though. The guy was cute, sure, but what was he like on the inside? Could she learn to open up to someone new? If she wanted to figure that out, she needed to start by not comparing everyone she meets to her best friend.

Then she figured it out. She would ask Michael for his advice. He could teach her how to socialize, perhaps date, couldn't he? She smiled to herself as she glanced back at the picture. She knew he would do anything for her, just as she would do anything for him.


	12. Chapter 12

"Good afternoon, angel," Charlie walked into Ramona's office with a smile on his face. "How was your lunch?"

Ramona stood from her desk and smiled brightly at him. "It was okay. How was yours?"

"Good. And why just…okay?" Charlie asked with a raised brow.

Ramona looked away and shook her head. "Nothing I can't handle. All a part of my job, I suppose," she spoke quietly.

Charlie's expression switched to one of concern and he reached behind him to pull her office door closed. He moved forward and sat on her plush couch in the corner of the room and patted the seat next to him. "Tell me what happened."

Ramona hesitated, but somewhere in the back of her mind she was reminding herself she needed to be able to open up to more than just Michael. He told her that himself, in fact. She knew he was right. 9 times out of 10, actually. Michael was very wise for a man only in his 30's.

"I went out to the boardwalk for lunch and sat outside and I overheard some people at the table behind me as they read one of my columns," Ramona said carefully as she thought back to what happened. "And some of the things I heard were just downright rude."

"Ah, Michael Jackson haters, I assume?" Charlie said. Ramona nodded and he sighed. "What did they say?"

"Quite a number of things. Some things I can't even begin to comprehend how they believe such nonsense. One man was discussing how much of a child molester he is, and how could any parent allow their child to sleep at a grown man's home. That's the jist of it anyway."

"I see. But you know as well as I do those are all lies, so try not to let it bother you," Charlie said as he patted her shoulder.

"How can I not?" her voice echoed a bit and she stood up sharply. "Those people have no idea what they are talking about. They don't listen! Don't they know these children were in pain when they told these lies to the police? I could see it clearly in their eyes as well as Michael's. Why can't they?"

"I don't know. Human nature, I suppose…no pun intended. Maybe you should ask them."

Ramona's eyes lit up a bit and she bit her lip. One of the very few traits she picked up from her best friend as she turned over new ideas in her mind. She glanced out the window and tried to center herself. She needed to transfer her anger into motivation and inspiration.

"I know that look. I smell a new column coming on," Charlie smiled.

"You know me too well, Charlie," Ramona said with a smirk. "I'll start my research tonight."

"Why don't you take Luke with you? This would be a good task to get his feet wet," Charlie suggested as he stood and stretched.

"Sure," Ramona hesitated. She just wished she knew how to act around him. Her emotions ran a little ramped on her when he came around. It scared her. She still had no idea how to decipher what she was feeling and why.

"By the way, I got you a little something. It isn't much, but it would do good to cover that big empty spot on your wall behind your desk," Charlie nodded toward said wall and Ramona glanced over her shoulder at it. She had a few paintings and photos on her walls, but not very much. She had an expensive and rather large vase standing in the corner with a big plant growing out of it. The vines grew around the vase and twirled around the base of the walls around it. She had crosses of many kinds hanging around on her walls and some mini statues on her desk. Charlie knew she had a thing for crosses, so when he saw this painting, he just had to get it for her.

Ramona watched as he went into his office and came back with a rather large, framed painting. He flipped it around so she could see it and it made her eyes light up instantly. It was almost like a portrait of the last supper. Jesus sat in the center of the massive table surrounded by his disciples. It was gorgeous.

"Charlie, it's breath taking," Ramona said as she placed a hand over her heart. She was almost speechless.

"I hoped you would like it," he winked and set it against the wall behind her desk before giving her a brief hug. "Anyway, back to work. Holler if you need anything." She nodded and smiled at him and he left, stopping by Luke's desk to give him his new assignment.

As Luke finished up the last bit of his paperwork, he walked to Ramona's office to find her on a stool trying to hang a rather large painting. She seemed frustrated, and of course she was. This painting didn't look that heavy, but holding it up in one spot for a length of time makes it heavier by the moment. She marked the wall where she wanted it and let her arm fall as it began to cramp. She rolled her shoulder and began hammering a nail into the wall. She lifted the painting once more, getting more frustrated that she couldn't place the painting on the nail just right, and her scar began to burn. She winced in pain and continued to fight with the painting. She bit her lip as her entire arm went limp and she lost her balance. Luke ran up to her just as she fell backward and he caught her. Luckily, when she let go of the painting, it got the nail and didn't fall, but she then found herself in the arms of a very handsome blonde.

"Not so graceful, are you?" he teased.

She blushed as she felt his breath on her lips and she took in a deep breath. Her heart was racing as she began to wonder what it felt like to have Michael's breath on her lips. She shook the thought from her mind and he slowly set her on her feet. "Thanks. I owe you one," she said after clearing her throat.

"No problem, that's what I'm here for," he winked and she smiled weakly at him.

_That evening…_

"So, you like this guy, don't you?" Janet asked Ramona as she painted her toenails on Ramona's couch. Just like with Michael, she and Janet had their own routine. If Janet was free, they spent a lot of time either at Ramona's home or at Janet's. Ramona was happy her and Janet seemed to hit it off so well. She loved having girl time. Back before she lived on the Santa Monica beach, she used to despise most females. She never really got along with them. It was easier for her to get along with guys. It was no wonder she and Michael became fast friends.

"I don't really know," she said, looking down at her feet.

"What did you feel when he came close to you?" she asked.

"Scared, I think. My heart was racing and my face felt so warm," Ramona chewed on her lip.

"What is there to be scared of? How long has it been since you've dated anyway?"

Ramona fell silent. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had a boyfriend. Surely it was when her parents were still alive. "I don't know."

"Maybe it's time to fix that, then. Let this guy in and see where it leads," Janet suggested.

"I…I can't…I mean, I don't even know him that well and…"

"Hey relax!" Janet put her hands on Ramona's shoulders. "I'm not saying marry the guy. I'm just saying hang around him a little more often and take one step at a time."

"I don't want to put too much of my time into him if nothing is going to happen. Besides, that would cut into by date nights with Mike. And I don't even want Luke to know about Mike. It's just too risky and people are just so cruel."

"Yes, that's true, people can be cruel, but my brother can handle it. He has come this far and he's doing okay. And you don't have to introduce Luke to Michael, either. Let your heart decide," she smiled and Ramona hesitated before smiling back. She couldn't help but feel a little fumed over the people she heard earlier today.

"I have to be so careful, though. People always get to cruel when Michael is brought into the picture," Ramona said quietly.

"How do you know if this guy is the cruel type if you don't allow yourself to get to know him?"

Ramona paused. "I don't, but you can't trust everyone." Janet watched her for a moment. "I feel like going for a run. Wanna join me?"

Janet smiled. "I just painted my toenails," she shrugged and Ramona smirked. "Maybe another time. I need to get home soon anyway. You go on ahead. Just be careful out there," she said.

Ramona nodded and went into her bedroom to change into her running clothes. When Janet left, Ramona stood outside in her driveway stretching out her muscles. She loved her home so much. It was a very remote area. As far as she knew, there was only Neverland, her home, and an old school house around the area. She loved sitting out on her roof sometimes when Michael wasn't around. Derek would always light up the gate and the ranch every night, and she would sit and watch every night. It brought her peace.

She glanced over her shoulder as she stretched her arm behind her back. The lights came on and it made her smile. She pulled both arms behind her back and stretched again, only to have both arms grabbed by a pair of ice cold hands. She jumped and turned to see Michael wearing all black. His hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and his famous ringlets hung in his eyes. Ramona smacked his arm as he laughed.

"Why do you always insist on sneaking up on me?"

"I'm sorry, babygirl. You just make it so easy!" he laughed and she pushed him lightly.

"What are you doing here this late?" she asked him.

"Well, I was coming over to see if you wanted to take a walk with me, unless you don't want to?" he asked with a pouting look.

Ramona rolled her eyes with a smile. "No, I don't mind at all. I was actually going to go for a run. It's just that…I figured you turned into a pumpkin at night," she taunted him.

Michael gasped. "You take that back."

"What? Did I figure out one of your secrets, Mikarella?" she teased.

"You are so gonna get it!" he laughed as he lunged at her. She giggled and took off running down the road as he chased her. They must have run about a mile before she began to slow down. Her shoulder was burning once again and she was finding it difficult to breathe. She paused and looked behind her, not seeing Michael anymore. She put her hands on her knees and paced herself.

"Okay, joke's over, tomcat. You can come out now," she said into the darkness. She heard nothing. "This isn't funny, Michael." Still nothing. She looked around and her heart skipped a beat when she heard a twig snap. "Michael Joseph Jack…ahhh!" she yelled as she was tackled into the grass on the side of the road by Michael.

"Take back what you said!" he laughed as he sat on top of her hips and tickled her. She laughed and struggled until she flipped him off and climbed over him, putting him in a pin. "Hey!"

"Give me one good reason why I should take it back," she said with a smirk.

Michael looked up at her face in the moonlight. She had sweat on her brow and strands of her hair had fallen in her face. He cocked his head to the side in curiosity. She was so beautiful in the moonlight. He mentally scolded himself. What was he thinking? He was engaged to Lisa. Honestly she had been acting nicer to him and taking care of him like a real wife. He actually had stronger feelings for her, but Ramona…

"Because you love me," he tested her with the most innocent look he could come up with.

Ramona hesitated for a moment and then smiled. "Of course I do," she paused as her heart skipped a beat. "You're my best friend. Not like I have a choice," she added. Oh nice save, Ramona, you idiot.

"Aw, thank you, I think…" he chuckled. "I love you too," he winked and then added, "bestie boo."

Ramona sat back and let him up. She sat up on her knees in front of him and he rose up, sitting on his butt in the grass. "Don't call me that," she whispered with a smile.

They slowly found themselves leaning into each other, inches apart. Michael smirked and let out a light breath and it hit Ramona's lips. She shivered a little. The hell with it, she thought. What was one kiss going to hurt? Another part of her held her back. It was wrong and she knew it. Lisa was the one he should be kissing. She couldn't deny the temptation, especially after seeing him lick his lips. Their eyes began to close when a pair of headlights lit up the area. Both jerked away and stood up, acting as if they were still jogging.

Lisa stopped her car next to them and rolled the window down. "There you two are, I was wondering where you went," she smiled.

Ramona rose her brow and then shrugged. "Sorry, Lisa."

"Yeah, sorry sugar lips," Michael chuckled. "We were just on our way back."

Lisa cringed at the nickname and bit back a snarl. "Quite alright. Would you like a ride back?"

Michael and Ramona glanced at each other before shrugging and climbing into the car. Lisa turned around and headed back to Ramona's home. "Thanks," Ramona said quietly to Lisa from the back seat.

"Anytime," she smiled back at her before Ramona climbed out. "Hey, call me tomorrow. Let's do lunch," she said.

Ramona swallowed her nervousness down and nodded slowly. "Okay. Goodnight Lisa. Goodnight tom, er…Michael," she smiled and looked away.

He grinned at her nervousness. He had to admit it was pretty cute. Lisa grabbing his hand snapped him out of his thoughts. "Goodnight Ray."


	13. Chapter 13

"So, Facebook, huh?" Amber asked as she sat next to Ramona at a table. They were having lunch together at a nice restaurant outside near the boardwalk.

Ramona shrugged as she took a bite of her lasagna. "Yeah. I kind of overheard you talking on the phone about it and I decided to look at it," she paused and then giggled. "You would never believe who I found on there."

Amber put her fork down. "Who?"

"Michael," she grinned.

Amber almost choked on her food. "Are you serious? MJ on Facebook?"

Ramona threw her hand over Amber's mouth. "Hush! And yes he is. Don't tell anyone, please?"

Amber calmed herself. "I won't. Sorry, I keep forgetting you 2 are friends."

Ramona smiled. "Some of the things he says on there are hilarious."

"Like what?"

"He threatens me," she laughed. "I love it though. I have posted some photos from before I met him and photos I have captured of him without him knowing. Of course, he knows now."

"Did you get in trouble?" she asked.

"What do you think?" They both stared at each other before they started laughing again. Ramona was very careful about her friendship with Michael. She now had a Facebook, and she was friends with Michael. Both of them had very little friends on their list. Most people on his list was given the idea that his site was only for play, and it wasn't the real MJ. Ramona knew, but she was also very protective of him. She wouldn't even let anyone know just how close she and Michael were.

Ramona and Amber continued giggling amongst themselves as they enjoyed the rest of their lunch.

_Back at the office…_

Ramona had just posted a picture on her Facebook of Michael from his last meeting. Derek had emailed it to her and she was so grateful. She had asked Derek to send her every picture he could of Michael to add to her photo album. Michael had been telling Ramona on the website how dull he thought these meetings were. She giggled at his replies. He told her she needed to try and sit in those meetings without being bored to tears.

"Knock knock," Luke came in and Ramona minimized her Facebook page.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked.

"Oh nothing, I just finished my latest story and I was wondering if I could try it out on you," he asked and then paused. "Maybe tonight at your place?"

Ramona froze. "Um, sure, maybe. What time?"

"How's 7?" he asked with a smirk.

"That will be fine. Let me write my address down for you," she grabbed a notepad from her desk drawer and scribbled down her address and handed it to him.

He took it and smiled. "Great. I will bring some Chinese, is that okay?"

"Sure," she smiled. He nodded and waved before going back to his desk. Ramona quickly grabbed her phone to send out a text.

_We need to talk, ASAP _she typed and then sent it.

Her phone dinged minutes later. _Everything okay, babygirl?_

_I have a date tonight…_

_Oh? When do I get to meet him?_

Ramona froze. _Why would you want to meet him?_

_Well, because I am your friend and I care about you. Don't I get a say in this guy? I have to make sure he's good enough for my babygirl ;)_

Ramona blushed. _I don't know, tomcat. No promises. I don't know if this guy will be around that long._

_Why would you say that?_

She shook her head. _We'll talk about this later. Please just avoid coming near my house tonight. I'll let you know when he's gone_

_Okay okay, you win. Be careful, babygirl. Call me if you feel uncomfortable for any reason_

_Okay, tomcat. I will_

_Promise me_

Ramona smiled again. _I promise_

She put her phone away and went back to work on her latest column. When it was time to go home, she grabbed her things and shut her computer down. She felt a range of different emotions on her way home. As she drove by the gates of Neverland, Michael walked out and waved her down. She smiled and rolled her window down.

"What's up, tomcat?" she asked.

Michael smiled and leaned forward, handing her a white rose and then bent down to kiss her cheek. "Just in case he doesn't come through on the romantic part."

Ramona blushed and wiped a hair behind her ear. "Thank you, but why give this to me?"

"Every beautiful woman deserves a beautiful gift every now and then," he winked. "Don't forget your promise."

"I won't. Thank you," she said quietly and he smiled and stepped back to let her go. She looked forward to her house and then looked down before taking a deep breath. "Michael?" she asked.

He took another step forward and leaned down once more. "Yes?"

"You're my best friend. The best I could ever ask for. And I just want you to know…that I love you very much," she said shyly.

Michael blushed a little. "I love you more, babygirl. Always will," he winked and then went back inside the ranch. Ramona smiled again as she drove home. She took a hot shower and cleaned up a bit before her date was supposed to arrive. She coached herself in the mirror, trying to remember not to compare Luke to Michael. She loved Michael, but as a friend. At least she thought it was as a friend.

Soon Luke arrived with dinner and they ate at her dining room table and laughed like old friends. They got to know each other a bit more and Ramona was surprised she hadn't once thought about Michael or how much different he was from Luke.

"You are something special, Ramona," he said.

"Thanks. You aren't so bad yourself," she replied.

"Um, thank you?" he asked and they both laughed. They had watched a movie and talked until almost midnight before he stood and stretched. "Well, thank you for such a nice night. I forgot what it was like to date such a gorgeous woman," he complemented her as she walked him to the door. She slipped out on the porch with him and he smiled. "Too bad we never got around to reading my column, huh?"

"Oh, yeah I guess so," she said, looking at her feet.

"Ray," he said as he tipped her head up with his hand. "I don't want you to be afraid of me."

"I'm not," she said quietly.

"Are you sure?" he asked and she nodded. He leaned forward and she froze. She allowed him to get within an inch of her lips, and the moment she felt his breath on her lips, she turned her head and he kissed her cheek. He sighed and then smiled. "Fair enough. I'll see you at work, Ramona."

He sounded almost hurt as he left. She walked back inside and sunk into her couch with a heavy sigh. She had so many new feelings buzzing in her head. It was already late and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. She grabbed her laptop and went to her Facebook page. There was a new status message on Michael's profile and it made her smile.

_Missing my babygirl tonight. I hope you are okay 3_

She brushed a hair behind her ear and glanced at the time he had posted it. Only 3 minutes ago. She decided to comment: _I miss you too. Up for a run? I can't sleep. I'm heading out as soon as I change_

She stood up and stretched before he commented back. _I'm on my way_

She nodded and changed clothes before heading outside. She began her stretches and Michael, once again, snuck up on her. This time, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She immediately relaxed in his embrace and leaned back. He smiled and kissed her head.

"Hey babygirl.:

"Hey tomcat," she smiled and then turned around. "How was your night?"

"Boring. Lisa came in and we played a bit of cat and mouse, she being the cat of course," Ramona giggled at him and he smiled. "Then she made dinner which was odd. Let me add, she cannot cook worth a snot."

"Oh come now, be nice. She is your fiancé you know," Ramona teased. "She means well, I'm sure."

"Yeah, so how was your date?" he asked as he stretched with her.

"Longer than I thought it would be."

Michael cocked his head to the side. "Did you get uncomfortable at all?"

"Only as he left," she said. She looked at him and saw the question in his eyes. "He tried to kiss me."

Michael felt a tinge of jealousy for a split second. He didn't know why he felt anger toward this guy. He shook it off. "Tried?"

"Yeah, it didn't feel right for some reason, so I moved away."

"And you call me a diva," he snorted.

"No I called you Mikarella, which is kind of the same thing," she taunted him.

"Take that back!" he said.

"NEVER!" she yelled and took off running. He chuckled and chased after her. Again, they ran about a mile down the road before he tackled her into the grass.

"So, I saw that picture of me from my meeting on your Facebook," he said as he helped her sit up.

"I know," she grinned. "You look so bored."

"Believe me, I was," he admitted.

"What do you guys talk about in those meetings? I thought you liked doing those kinds of things?" she said.

"It depends on the subject at hand. I prefer the creative process, but then it goes into the more boring details that almost have nothing to do with me."

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad," she giggled.

"Hey," he said as he pushed her arm lightly. "You try sitting there for an hour without falling asleep."

Ramona looked away and smirked. "I could do it easily."

Michael shot her a look. "Yeah right. I wish I had a job like yours. I bet it is so much easier than mine."

Ramona raised a brow at him. "Care to make a wager?"

"Let's take a walk," he said as he helped her up. They walked back to Neverland and he made a call to Karen Faye, his makeup artist.

"You're really going to wake her up over this?" Ramona asked him.

"She doesn't sleep very often. She's used to me calling her at odd hours in the night," he winked. "Hey Karen, it's Michael. I need a favor…"

_The next day…_

Karen still had no idea what possessed Michael and Ramona to want to dress like each other. She had just finished Michael's look and he cringed when she adjusted his fake boobs. "Ramona, I am so glad you are not an overly busty woman," he said as he stood in front of his floor-length mirror.

"Uh, thanks?" she said as she fixed the cuffs on her sleeves. She was wearing his black pants and a v-neck t-shirt. She held the white over-shirt in her hands as she tried to unbutton the sleeves.

When Karen finished, she began working on Ramona, She curled her hair and parted it on the side, just like Michael's. She pulled it into a partial ponytail and sprayed it. "Okay, that does it for the hair." She moved behind Ramona and had her stand in the same spot Michael had been in before. "And you are excused, Michael."

"Me?" he huffed from the chair he was sitting on. "But why?"

"Unless you want to see Ramona topless, you better leave," Karen warned him.

Both Ramona and Michael blushed furiously before he stood and walked out. Ramona giggled and took her shirt off. Her mind was in another time and place and it was only when Karen gasped that she remembered her scar. "Something wrong?" she asked Karen innocently.

"My goodness, what happened?" she asked as she ran her hand lightly over the scar.

Ramona hesitated. "It happened when I was a teenager. I went surfing and I had a slight run-in with a shark," she lied.

"How aweful! Does Michael…"

"No, he doesn't know I have a scar at all. I prefer it that way, if you don't mind," Ramona said quickly. Karen nodded and continued her work. She had to wrap Ramona's chest up like a bandage to flatten her chest and then she finished dressing her. To finish the look, she handed Ramona Michael's aviator sunglasses.

"Ramona, meet Michael," Karen said as she turned her to face the mirror.

Ramona looked identical to Michael. She was impressed. Michael came in when he was told he could and handed Ramona his fedora. "Okay, let's see how good you can be," he teased. "You have a meeting to discuss a show in New York that is for a special charity. While you are there, you have to take toys to the children's hospital."

Ramona scowled at his cocky tone. "Alright, and you have a new column to write about the new boardwalk they are building, and you must interview a few people about the change. Then you have to do an easier task and design another column about you," she smirked and he blinked.

"I love designs. Consider it done," he said.

"Good luck," they said to each other in unison and headed out. Michael headed to the LA Times building and Ramona climbed into the limo and headed to New York.

Each of them had a pretty easy go, pretending to be each other. Ramona had everyone convinced she had a sore throat which is why her voice was different. As long as she kept her glasses and fedora on, she could fool anyone. That was an easy task. Michael always wore his hat and aviators everywhere he went.

She put in her own input on the show, in her own words and Frank was actually excited to see his new inspiration. "Michael, I didn't know you knew how to play guitar," he said.

Ramona, or Michael, nodded. "Yes. I want the fans to have a little something extra when they see me play." Ramona spoke in a lower voice and then coughed a bit. She knew Michael had a talent with the guitar, so he wouldn't necessarily embarrass himself during this new show.

Meanwhile at the office, Michael had interviewed a few people about the change and he loved it. He adored going out in public and not being noticed by a bunch of people. He sat back as he wrote the column. When someone knocked on the door, he grabbed a scarf and threw it over his head and turned his chair around. He made sure to keep his back to whoever walked in.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay, Ramona?" Amber asked.

"Yes, just a little cold," Michael coughed.

"Okay then," she said before leaving.

Both Michael and Ramona had fun being each other until it was time to go home. Michael had Ramona's house key and she headed to Neverland. When she walked in she smiled, that is until she was hugged from behind.

"Mikey sweetheart, I am so glad you're home!" Lisa said.

Ramona cringed. "Me too, honey," she coughed.

"You don't sound too good, sweet face. What's wrong?" Lisa grabbed Ramona by the arm and pulled her around to face her.

"Just a cold, nothing to worry about," she lied.

"Aw, my poor baby," Lisa caressed her face and Ramona bit the inside of her cheek. She needed to switch back with Michael fast.

Meanwhile, Michael walked inside Ramona's house only to be followed by Luke. "Hey beautiful. I know you're sick, I just wanted to come see you," he walked towards Michael and Michael stepped back a bit. This wasn't good.

"Yeah, sick," he coughed. "Better stay away, it could be contagious," he said, coughing again.

"It's not like I mind it," Luke touched his face and Michael danced around him and headed outside. Luke followed with a smile on his face. "I like it when you play hard to get." Oh crap.

Back at Neverland, Lisa was advancing on Ramona. "Mike, how about I run you a nice hot bath. Would you like that?" she said seductively.

"M…maybe later," she stuttered. "I have to go…"

Lisa pushed herself against Ramona and leaned in to kiss her. Ramona instinctively put her hand on Lisa's face and pushed her back, causing Lisa to fall over the back of the couch and land on the floor. "Mike! What the hell?"

"I…I'm sorry, I just…oh!" she grumbled and bolted out the front door.

"Michael Joseph! Come back here!" she jumped up and chased after her.

Back at Ramona's, Luke was inches away from Michael. He had him pinned against a tree. "Luke, I really am sick," he coughed again.

"I don't care," he leaned forward and Michael bolted to the side, causing Luke to fall over and land on a water bucket nearby. It fell on his head just as Ramona ran by. She grabbed Michael's arm and they ran inside the house, leaving the door open.

They ran into her guest room and looked around frantically. "Okay, now what?" Michael asked.

Lisa and Luke's voice echoed through the living room and Ramona's eyes landed on the closet. "In here!" she whispered as she pulled him into the closet and shut the door. They both took a sigh of relief before they noticed their bodies were squished together. Ramona pulled off the hat and glasses and Michael took his glasses and the scarf off of his head.

"Michael, where are you?" Lisa came into the guest room and they froze.

"Ramona?" Luke came in behind her.

"Luke, what are you doing here?" Lisa asked him.

Ramona and Michael froze. They knew each other? Just as Ramona moved her head to look up at Michael as if to question him, Michael did the same thing, and before either of them knew it, their lips were against each other. Both of them remained frozen, not daring to move. Ramona's face flushed and her belly did flips. Her eyes slid closed and Michael did the same. He carefully tilted his head to the side to deepen the kiss, and she followed. Both hearts raced in tune with each other.

"I was looking for Ramona," Luke's voice snapped them back to reality and they moved away from each other. They stared at each other for a moment until Luke and Lisa finally left. When Ramona's front door closed, they both fell out of the closet on top of each other.

"Well, that was fun," Ramona giggled as she lay across Michael's chest.

He laughed. "That's what I call keeping it in the closet."


	14. Chapter 14

Ramona was napping on her couch when her doorbell rang. She jumped up, startled and straightened her shirt and her hair before answering it. It was Luke standing there in a leather jacket and a bouquet of flowers. 'How original' Ramona thought.

"Hi Luke," she said, fighting back a yawn.

"Hey gorgeous," he handed her the flowers and kissed her cheek. "Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, sort of," she said quietly. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a guy come by and see his woman every now and then?" he asked.

Ramona narrowed her eyes. "Your woman?"

"Yeah. You can't deny you have some sort of feelings for me. I see the way you look at me at work and I can see past your little game of hard to get," he winked.

Ramona was growing very irritated. He had no idea who she was at all. She liked him as a friend, but he was making her more uncomfortable by the minute. "I didn't realize I was looking at you a certain way, Luke. You're a good friend, that's it."

Luke ran a hand through his blonde hair. "Ramona, when are you going to give your feelings a chance? Give me a chance. I know you haven't dated in a long time and I want to show you what it's like to have a real man."

He leaned forward to kiss her and she squinted her eyes shut, trying to force herself not to move. What was one kiss going to hurt? Amber suggested she let him kiss her at least once. She claimed you can tell if you have feelings for someone when they kiss you. Ironic, she thought, how much feeling she had when she and Michael…

Her phone rang just as his breath reached her lips and her eyes snapped open. She backed away from the door. "Excuse me, Luke." She backed up until she reached the bar in her kitchen and snatched the phone up. "Hello?"

_Hey you. What are you up to?_

"Hey," she whispered low so Luke couldn't hear her. "I'm glad you called."

_What's wrong? You don't sound like yourself._

"I have an unexpected visitor," she growled.

_Uh oh, did I interrupt something?_

"Yes. Thank you for doing so," she said.

Michael laughed. _You're welcome?_

Ramona paused when she heard Luke calling for her in a very irritating sing-song voice. She grumbled and then sighed. "Mike, please save me," she begged.

_Oh, he's that bad, is he?_

"You have no idea," she mumbled.

"Who are you talking to, Ray?" Luke came around the corner and leaned seductively against the counter next to her. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.

_Tell him it's business and I'll pick you up in 5_

"It's a business call. Sorry, Luke, I have to go," she said to him and then turned to the side. "You're driver will be here in 5? Okay, see you soon," she smiled and hung up.

"You really have to go?" he asked.

"Duty calls," she shrugged and weaseled her way past him to walk to her bedroom. "I need to change. Thanks for stopping by."

"Do you need any help on this trip?" he asked.

"Not this time," she said as she changed shirts in her bedroom. She heard Luke sigh and then a car horn outside. A limo had pulled up and Ramona smiled and grabbed her purse before heading out and locking the front door.

Luke stood on her porch with her and put his hand under her chin and leaned down to kiss her. She turned away at the last moment and he kissed her cheek once again. "When are you going to stop being so afraid of me?"

"I told you, I'm not afraid. I have to go," she said as she walked off the porch. Luke reached for her arm and pulled her back to him and it made Ramona nervous. "Luke…"

"We will talk about this sooner or later," he said as his piercing blue eyes bore into hers.

She gulped and nodded before she jerked her arm away and walked quickly to the limo. The driver came out and opened the door for her as she practically dove in. She looked out the tinted window once the door closed and let out a sigh of relief when she saw Luke climb into his car and leave. She leaned back in the seat and sighed.

"What was that all about?" Michael's voice made her jump and she slapped her hand over her chest. "Sorry. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "I am now. Thanks for rescuing me."

"He's lucky I stayed in the car," he grumbled as he folded his arms over his chest.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused by his sudden anger.

"When he grabbed you like that it took every ounce of strength I had not to go and break his face in," he grumbled and Ramona giggled. Michael looked back at her with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

Ramona shook her head. "I just love you, tomcat." She reached over and hugged him and he kissed her cheek as he hugged her back.

"I love you too, babygirl," he said with a smirk.

She blushed and brushed a hair behind her ear. "So, where are we going?"

"Well, since it's the weekend and Lisa went out of town until Monday, I figured we could use a little vacation get away."

"Really? That sounds so nice, but I don't have any of my clothes," she said.

"It's okay. It's getting a little colder outside and if my memory serves me well, I recall you don't have any winter clothes. So, our first stop is the mall. We will get you some warmer clothes and then we will head out to our next stop."

"Michael…"

"I know what you're going to say, babygirl. Save it, alright? I want to do this for you. Let me do this for you, as your best friend, please?" he begged and gave her the saddest face he could come up with. Ramona sighed and shook her head. He smiled, knowing he had won.

2 hours later and a trunk full of warmer clothes for Michael and Ramona, they were headed out to the city. They stopped by a KFC and parked in the parking lot to eat it. Michael pulled out a bucket of fried chicken legs and Ramona's eyes widened.

"What?" he asked as he lay a napkin across his lap.

"I thought you only ate organic things?" she said.

Michael bit his lip and looked down, then piece by piece, he began to peel the skin off of the chicken. Ramona stared as he carefully peeled each piece and laid it in the KFC bag next to him before he took a bite. "There, see? Now it's organic," he said with a smile.

Ramona rolled her eyes and giggled. "Very clever, tomcat."

They ate and giggled together for a few minutes before they headed out to their favorite amusement park. Ramona made sure to avoid the Zipper and Michael refused to go near the theater that played his movie. They spent the entire day dancing with Disney characters, riding rides and taking a few pictures together. One photo really made Ramona laugh. She went to get cotton candy for her, Mike, and Derek when Michael was playing with bumper cars. As Derek attempted to get a close shot of Michael in his little car, he accidentally ran over Derek's foot.

"Dang, Mike!" he yelped and grabbed his foot.

Michael giggled. "Sorry, Derek. You know I'm a horrible driver!" he laughed out.

"I'm gonna tell Ramona on you!" he whined and Michael continued to laugh as Derek finally got a decent shot.

"Hey! That was bright!" he yelled and ran into a nearby wall.

Ramona came back shortly after to find the boys bickering in a playful way. "What's up?" she asked.

"Michael ran over my foot!"

"Derek stuck his foot in the way!" Michael retorted.

"Michael sucks at driving!"

"Derek flashed me!" Michael yelled even louder and received a few glances from people walking nearby. Ramona rolled her eyes and held up 2 sticks of cotton candy in front of them. They both froze in mid argument and their eyes grew wide. Derek snatched his and smiled at Ramona, while Michael snatched his and jumped up and down like a kid. "Yum!"

Ramona shook her head and they ate their candy and left just as the sun began to set. Ramona stretched and yawned and Michael grinned. "So, back to the hotel, right?" she asked.

"Nope." Michael grinned when she sat up to stare at him. "I have a surprise for you, actually."

"What?" she asked with a wary look.

"You'll see," he grinned.

About an hour later, they arrived at the Santa Monica pier. Michael put on his fedora and shades and Derek with a few other guards escorted them inside a rather large tent on the pier. Ramona grasped Michael's hand, making sure not to lose him in the crowd, and she glanced up to see a sign that read "Cirque du Soliel tonight!"

Ramona looked back at Michael and watched his face. He glanced around as they made their way inside and found their seats. She made a note of how much he paid attention in public. He wanted to make sure he saw everything in case something were to happen.

"What is this?" Ramona leaned over to Michael and asked.

"Cirque du Soliel. It's an amazing show full of aerialists and acrobats. I thought you would enjoy this. I have been a fan for years," he grinned.

Ramona made a note of that and sat back as the show began. She was in awe throughout the entire performance. Michael watched her reactions and laughed when she cringed at the right times. He loved watching her expressions, since he rarely got to see them. As the show came to a close, they headed back home. Both fell asleep in the limo and when the driver stopped, Michael woke up to Ramona lying across his lap in a deep sleep.

He smiled warmly. "Wake up babygirl, we're home," he said as he shook her lightly.

Ramona mumbled and sat up with her eyes barely open. "Mmkay," she said. They both jumped slightly when lightning lit up the sky and loud thunder vibrated the ground beneath them.

Michael chuckled and helped her out of the limo. Derek carried her bags inside and Michael carried her to her bed and tucked her in. He kissed her head and stood to leave when her arm shot up and grabbed his hand. "No, please, don't go."

Michael held her hand and turned back toward her. "Why not?" he asked.

"I don't like storms," she admitted shyly. "Please?"

Michael nodded and stepped out for a moment. Derek was standing in the entry way with an umbrella waiting for Michael. "I'm gonna crash here tonight," he said carefully.

Derek raised a brow. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"It's not like that, Derek. She's afraid of storms. I don't want to leave her alone and scared," Michael said firmly.

"Alright, just be careful," he said. "Don't forget you have a meeting tomorrow morning. I will be here at 7 to pick you up."

Michael nodded. "I'll be ready."

Derek nodded once more and Michael walked him to the door and watched him leave. He stood on the porch for a moment in deep thought before a lightning bolt hit nearby and made him jump. "Michael?" he heard Ramona call for him in a frightened tone. Michael turned and ran inside, locking the door behind him. "Michael, where are you?"

Michael noticed the power had gone out and it was pitch black in the house. "I'm here, babygirl. I'm right here," he said. He felt his way around until he ran into Ramona. She was shaking a little and Michael hugged her. "Don't be afraid. I'm here," he whispered into her hair.

"Thanks, tomcat," she whispered. "Um, there are some candles in the kitchen."

Michael nodded and walked toward the kitchen to light some candles. He lit them and put them around the living room, adding a dim light to the entire room. Ramona lit the fireplace when she could see well enough. She lay down on the white carpet in front of the fireplace and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Are you okay?" Michael asked her as he leaned over her.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"Luke," she said.

"What about him?" he asked as he sat down beside her.

"I don't want to be so mean to him all the time, but every time he tries to kiss me I turn away and he gets this look of hurt on his face that I can't bare to look at anymore," she said almost all in one breath.

Michael thought for a moment before he lifted her head into his lap and began to play with her hair. This always relaxed her and he loved the feel of her soft hair between his fingers. "Maybe you should let him kiss you then."

Ramona looked up at him and he smiled down at her. "Why? What will it prove?"

"If you have some kind of feelings for him, you will feel something. You should at least give it a try before you shoot it down," he said encouragingly.

"Is that how you were with Lisa?" she asked.

Michael paused. "Yes. I did the same thing you're doing now with her for quite some time. She would try to kiss me and I would turn away. Janet finally talked me into giving it a try, and when I did the feeling was very new to me."

"Do you still get that feeling?" she asked, looking away from him now.

He hesitated and another bolt of lightning hit nearby and made them both jump. "Why don't we get to bed? The house will get cold soon and I don't want you to freeze to death," he smiled at her and she smirked up at him and nodded. They blew the candles out and Michael helped her back to the bed and they curled up side by side, both staring at the ceiling in deep thought. As another bolt hit, Ramona slid against Michael and he chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. They slept together for the first time and neither could deny how nice and right it felt. What that meant, however, had them both utterly confused.

_The next morning…_

"Ramona….Raybug…babygirrrllllll…." Michael sang as he shook Ramona. "Hellloooooo?"

"No…its Sunday…Ramona sleep in on Sunday…" she grumbled and rolled to her side.

Michael moved around to her face again. "That's not fair. Michael wants to sleep in too…" he whined.

"Then sleep," she mumbled, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pulling him back into the bed.

"I can't. I have a meeting to get to. Get up!"

She rolled over again and Michael grumbled. "No. You go. I sleep. I win…" she mumbled.

Michael rolled his eyes and grabbed a spray bottle with ice water in it. He stood up at the foot of the bed and let her have it. She jumped up and scrambled, fighting the water until she rolled off the bed. Michael fell back off the bed in laughter.

"Michael!" she growled.

"I win. See you later, babygirl!" he smiled innocently as he skipped out the door.

"That's what you think…" she thought evilly as she walked to the shower. "I'll get you for this, tomcat."

_At the meeting…_

"So, Michael, have you decided what song you plan on playing some chords for?" Frank asked Michael about 10 minutes into the meeting.

Michael paused. "What chords?" he asked.

"You know, on the guitar. You're idea, remember?"

"I…I said…wait, what?" he stumbled for words. He didn't know what he was talking about.

"In that last meeting you said you wanted to play the guitar for your fans since no one knew you could play. I thought it was such a grand idea that I took it to the rest of the crew working on the tour and they loved it!"

Michael chewed on his lip. 'Ramona,' he growled mentally. She was the only one outside his family and Lisa that knew he could play. He was going to get her back for this.

"So…?" Frank asked.

"Oh, I don't know yet. I will have to experiment with some chords before I decide. It has to be perfect," he said carefully.

After the meeting, he had gone straight home to change clothes. He was planning on having a talk with Ramona about this. He wasn't really mad, but he was surprised. He paced as he thought about today's events. It's not like she did it purposely to embarrass me. She knew I could play, so she didn't subject me to embarrassing myself on stage.

He walked into the kitchen and grabbed an empty glass from the cabinet. Meanwhile, Ramona was peaking in the window. She had set him up for her favorite prank of all time. He reached forward and flipped the sink on and water shot out from the sprayer and soaked him. He stumbled back and yelled as he scrambled to shut it off. Once he did, he heard a familiar giggle outside. He turned and saw Ramona cover her mouth and take off running from the window.

"Ramona Greene! Get back here!" he yelled as he took off after her. Marie stood by the door she had opened for him and laughed as he passed her. She loved it when someone got the better of Michael.

Ramona ran as fast as she could back to her place. She could hear Michael yelling her name and it made her adrenaline rise up. She laughed as she darted inside and slammed the door. His voice came closer and she ran to the guest room and crawled under the bed. She barely got control of her breathing when she heard the front door slam open.

"You can't hide from me, Ray…" he said in a low voice. She bit back a giggle as he checked every room, one by one. She was wiggling her toes in anticipation as she saw his feet appear in the doorway. "Oh Ramona…" he sang. "Where are you?" She put her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh. She watched his feet walk into the guest bathroom and she slithered her way out of the bedroom and took off running back toward Neverland. "I saw you! Come back here!"

"Never!" she yelled as she ran. Derek saw her coming and opened the gates as she slid past and laughed when Michael ran through, right on her trail. The entire staff on the ranch stopped what they were doing and laughed at the sight. They rarely got to see Michael play like this with anyone other than kids, and even then he had to take it easy on them and let them win. This time, he was really putting forth the effort to win.

She grabbed a water gun from his back patio and shot him with it and giggled when she saw it had slowed him down. "Hey! Don't you think you soaked me enough?" he asked as he continued to chase her. She finally lost sight of him and found herself climbing the giving tree. She sat very still and silent, thinking she was well hidden in the leaves. Michael suddenly appeared under her feet and grabbed her legs. She fell backward instead of straight down like Michael planned and hung off the branch.

Michael grabbed her hands before she fell and pulled her back up, cradling her in his lap. "You almost killed me!" she yelped and smacked his chest.

"Hey I wouldn't let you fall, you know that."

Ramona breathed in deeply before the adrenaline got the best of her. She leaned forward and kissed him softly. "Thank you," she sat back and blushed.

Michael blushed and helped her climb back down. As she began to walk away, he grabbed her hand. She looked into his eyes and saw confusion in them. She probably overdid it by kissing him, but she felt more like it was a thank you kiss. Michael seemed to have other ideas, from the looks of things.

In Michael's mind, he was replaying what advice he had given Ramona the night before. If you have feelings for someone, you would feel something when you kissed them. He knew he felt something when they accidentally kissed in her closet, but they were also caught up in the moment of hiding from Lisa and Luke. Then she kissed him again after she almost fell out of his tree, when it was his fault she fell in the first place. He had to know for sure, though.

He pulled her against him and ran his fingers through her hair. Her eyes slid halfway closed and he tilted her back a little and kissed her with as much passion as his heart would allow. Ramona's stomach tied up in knots and she curled her toes. She tangled her fingers in his hair and sighed into his lips. He was just about to slide his tongue forward when he heard a gasp. They both broke apart to find Lisa standing nearby, glaring at them.

"What the HELL?" she shrieked.

Ramona pushed herself away from Michael and put on her expressionless mask. She curled her arms around herself and stood away like a scared little girl.

"Lisa, I can explain," Michael put his hands out defensively.

"Don't bother, I saw it for myself!" she yelled at him. "And to think I was trying to be nice to you!" she yelled at Ramona.

Ramona looked down. She was so ashamed for kissing Michael like that. She didn't know what to say.

"Michael, how could you?" she said to him angrily.

"I don't know, Lisa. I'm sorry, I was just confused and I wanted to see…"

"Experimenting with your fans isn't the way to handle confusion! Why didn't you just come to me? My God, what is wrong with you? Why am I even with you? You're a liar and a cheat…" she went on.

Ramona looked up and saw the agony in Michael's eyes. That was enough for her to swallow her fear and step forward. "Look, don't yell at him, Lisa, please. This was all my fault and my idea," she said carefully. Michael held up his hand to stop her but she continued. "I was wrong, I know. Michael is covering for me, please don't leave him. It was all me, I promise…"

Ramona was acknowledged with a hard slap across the face. She stumbled back a few feet and her head was turned to the side from the force of the slap. She closed her eyes, taking in the stinging pain she felt in her face. Lisa took a step forward into her face and growled low. "You stay away from Michael, or you will regret it," she said.

"Lisa!" Michael reached forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her away from me. "How could you…" he began to scold her before Ramona cleared her throat.

"No, it's okay, Michael. She's right. This was my fault. I'm sorry. I deserved that. I'm gonna go now…" she said quietly before turning and walking back home.

"Now look what you've done," he glared at Lisa. "I had her so close to opening up and now she's back to where she started," he said angrily.

"She's been on her own for a while, Mike. She doesn't need a taken man to teach her how to feel. Besides, she has a boyfriend, remember? Now, let's go. You have a show to prepare for tomorrow," she grabbed his arm and dragged him inside.

Michael made a vow to himself as he walked toward the house. He wasn't going to give up on Ramona. It was his fault she got slapped and she was blaming herself. Whether he felt something from that kiss or not, he needed to try and back away. Maybe Luke would have better luck getting her to open up. He won't stop being her friend, but he will stop flirting with her like he has been. Perhaps it would help her to be less confused about life. At least, that's what he was hoping for. 


	15. Chapter 15

"Okay, let's do that one more time," Michael said as he held up a finger. He had been in New York rehearsing for another show taking place tomorrow night and then he was off to Japan. The people around him followed his every command while rehearsing. He almost hated being a perfectionist, but he wanted to give his fans the best show of their life and he wouldn't sell them short.

As they ran into Billie Jean, he fumbled with the collar of his bright yellow shirt and began his dancing. A rope slipped from the top of the building and swung in front of him and he took a step back and looked up with a smirk. "That was interesting," he said and then continued into the song.

He tried very hard to keep his focus, but when the music stopped, Ramona came to the front of his mind. He hadn't seen her since Lisa hit her and that was almost 2 weeks ago. He called her almost every single day when he had the chance, but she wouldn't answer. He continued to leave messages for her and even wrote her a few letters. He sent her flowers and emailed her videos he made for her of himself. He had hoped she would at least see those. He wanted to comfort her in some way.

"Mike? Hellooooo?" Derek waved his hand in front of Michael's face. Michael shook his head and looked at Derek. He held out a bottle of water to him with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Sorry Derek. What time is it?" he asked.

"Time to head back to the hotel. You ready to call it a night?" Derek asked.

Michael sighed deeply. "Yeah, that about does it, I think," he turned to the director. "You think we have everything figured out for tomorrow, Kenny?"

"I do believe so, Michael. Thank you. I'll take over from here. You go try to rest up and we'll see you tomorrow," he smiled warmly. Michael gave him a hug and thanked him before walking out with Derek and climbing into the SUV.

"I haven't seen Lisa around. Did she disappear on you again?" Derek asked carefully.

Michael nodded. "She was only here for a few days and then she said she had to go home to take care of things."

"Think she'll make it for the concert tomorrow?"

"I doubt it. Not like she cares," Michael spat.

"Wow," Derek said and looked out the window. "You seem angry with her tonight."

"Not just tonight, Derek. I have been angry for a while and I don't like it. I can't seem to get control of myself."

"That's not like you," he said. "What did Lisa do, if you don't mind my asking?"

Michael sighed again. "She hit Ray."

"Come again?" Derek sat up straight, instantly angry.

Michael nodded. "She finally snapped. It wasn't Ray's fault. It was mine…" he whispered. "I…I kissed her and Lisa saw it."

Derek gasped. "Well it's about time!" Michael jumped at his outburst. "Why don't you invite her to the show? You would feel much better having the girl you love…"

"Love?" Michael interrupted. "I don't know about that, Derek. She's my best friend and I love her all the same, but in love? I don't think so," he paused. "Besides, I've tried to call her. She won't answer."

"That's odd. Did you try calling Charlie?"

Michael slapped a hand over his forehead. "No, why didn't I think of that? I'll give him a call first thing in the morning."

They pulled up to the hotel and Michael's body guards surrounded him and led him inside through a sea of screaming fans and the media. They fought their way to his room and Michael fell back on the bed and grunted. "You'd think I'd be used to seeing spots by now," he grumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

"Never a dull moment, that's for sure," Derek smirked from the door. "Get some rest man. I'll see you in the morning," he waved and walked out, leaving Michael alone in his hotel room. He flipped over on his chest and stared at the phone. He needed to try again, just once more.

The phone rang and her answering machine picked up. _Hey you've reached Ramona, or Raybug to a certain Applehead *giggles* Sorry I couldn't come to the phone. Leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. God bless! BEEP_

Michael smiled into the phone. Just hearing her voice on a machine calmed his spirit somewhat. "Hey babygirl. I hope you are doing okay. I'm sorry I'm filling up your answering machine so much. I can't help it, I miss you…"

_Meanwhile…_

Ramona sat up from her bed and waddled her way into the kitchen when she heard Michael's voice in the machine. She had listened to all of his messages and read his letters. She saw he had sent her videos to her email, but she couldn't bring herself to open them. She missed Michael so much, but she couldn't see him anymore. She couldn't even stand to leave the house, knowing she had to drive by Neverland to get to work.

She leaned in the doorway and listened to his message. _I know I've said it a million times, but I am so sorry for what happened with Lisa. You shouldn't blame yourself. You know I was the one who approached you. You didn't deserve that and I have gotten into it with Lisa time and time again…_

Ramona cringed.

_And quit cringing at that. You didn't ruin anything between her and I, believe me. We have been butting heads way before I ever met you._

"I still gave her a reason to fight with you more," Ramona said quietly.

_You've done nothing wrong, babygirl. Please believe me. Lisa isn't in New York, by the way, and I have a show tomorrow night. It would really mean the world to me if you could come. Please just think about it, for me? _

Ramona looked away and bit her lip.

_I've been so lost without you. Weird anger that I cannot escape. I wish you were here so I had someone to talk to. Someone who understands me completely. Oh please answer, Ramona. At least let me know you're okay. I'm sorry for kissing you, really I am. I promise I won't do it again. I just…you're my best friend, Ray. I need you…_

Ramona's eyes welled up and a tear slipped as she reached for the phone. Her hand froze over the receiver for a moment when she thought she heard a small sniff coming from Michael. She grabbed the phone and he hung up just as she placed it to her ear. She sighed and set it back down.

What was she doing? She hadn't left the house since the incident. She called Charlie and told him she was sick and she wanted to work from home. He granted her that much. Luke came over to check on her but she wouldn't say much. She sat in bed with her computer doing her work. When she wasn't working, she was sitting in a chair by her window, staring blankly outside.

She gave up on running. Any time she would go outside just to get her mail, she would cringe at the site of Neverland. Not having Michael around was taking a toll on her and Luke was beginning to notice.

He sat outside her house in his car watching her from her window. She looked like she had no life in her at all. She had finally given in and allowed him to kiss her, but her lips were unmoving and she didn't even respond. He grew angry and picked up his phone.

"Hey, I was wondering when you would call," the voice on the other end answered.

"Lisa, we need to talk about Ramona. What did you do to her?" he asked.

"Woa, chill out, tiger. You sound like you're growing feelings for the girl," Lisa prompted.

"Not as of yet, but you made it impossible to carry out any kind of plans. How can I date her if she wont even speak?"

Lisa frowned. "Well, what do you want me to do about it?"

"Get over here and fix it!" he yelled.

"Fix it? How the hell…"

"I don't know Lisa, but if you don't do something to change her attitude, I am out."

Lisa paused and then sighed. "Fine. Get away from her house and I will head over there in a few hours."

Luke nodded and hung up on her before he headed home. Whatever Lisa planned on saying to Ramona, it better be good. If she couldn't get Ramona out of her state, he would be out for sure. This was such a waste of time.

_A few hours later…_

Lisa knocked on Ramona's door for quite some time before she just let herself in. She wondered around the house until she found Ramona sitting by her window with no expression on her face. Lisa almost winced when she saw her face. She was very pale. Her lips were the same color as her white skin which was once tan. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and she wore old sweats. She had no makeup on and she had bags under her eyes. She looked dead.

"Hey…" Lisa said, touching her shoulder. Ramona jumped in surprise and stumbled out of her chair before backing into the wall defensively covering her face. "Woa, woa, hang on, relax. I'm not gonna hit you," she said sweetly. Ramona slowly moved her hands away from her face. "I just came to talk. Can we talk?"

Ramona nodded and then sat on the edge of her bed. "Why are you here?" her voice cracked from little use.

"I had to take care of some business when Luke called me. He's worried about you. Why are you acting like this?" she asked, sitting on the bed next to Ramona.

"I'm not myself. What does Luke care, anyway? I don't belong to him," Ramona almost snarled.

Lisa thought for a moment and bit her tongue. "Michael is worried too."

Ramona's eyes lit up for a second. "So I've heard."

"Look, we had a long talk about things and…I am…sorry for hitting you like I did," Lisa practically forced out through her teeth.

Ramona looked at her warily. "No you're not." She got up and walked into the living room and grabbed a bottle of water from the coffee table. Lisa followed her and stood with her arms folded. "And that's okay. I wouldn't be too happy either if I saw my fiancé kissing another woman," Ramona finished.

Lisa blinked a few times. She didn't think Ramona would actually attempt to understand how she saw things. "Well, yea."

"I am sorry for that."

Lisa bit her lip. "Michael told me it was his idea. I don't know why you're apologizing."

Ramona looked down and shook her head. "I could have backed away."

Lisa started to agree but stopped herself. "I can see why you didn't. Who would back away from kissing the King of Pop, anyway?" she smirked and Ramona gave her a sideways glance.

"He's more than that, you know."

"But that's most of who he is, you can't deny."

Ramona shook her head. Lisa just didn't get it at all. Michael was a human being. Being famous was only a portion of who he was. It seemed to her that Lisa saw him more as an item or a trophy rather than as a person she loved. It was so unfair to Michael.

"I need to go," Ramona went into her bedroom to change. She had a feeling Lisa wouldn't leave her alone and she needed to get away for a while. She knew exactly where she would go too. She grabbed her bag and packed her notebooks and writing supplies along with her camera. She changed into a pair of cargo pants and a dark green turtleneck shirt and grabbed her military jacket Michael had bought her. She kept her back to the door knowing Lisa was standing there watching her.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Back to where I started out. To clear my head. I can't stay around here this close to Neverland," she turned as she threw her bag over her shoulder, wincing as it put weight on her scar. "And I can't stand to hear another painful message from my best friend crying out for help when there's nothing I can do for him," she almost glared at Lisa as she shoved her way past her.

"What are you talking about? He's rehearsing. He's fine!" Lisa said as she followed Ramona out the door.

"He isn't fine. Ask him yourself," she said as she threw her bag in the back seat of her car. "You shouldn't be here, Lisa. You should be with him. I appreciate your apology and you are forgiven, but I don't know what else you want from me."

Lisa stood by as Ramona climbed into her car and started it. "Maybe you need to see Michael again. Along with Luke and myself," she suggested nervously.

"Why does Luke keep coming into this conversation?" she asked.

"He likes you, Ramona. You need a boyfriend and he wants that title. Give him a shot. You won't be disappointed," she winked and Ramona sighed.

"I'll think about it. In the mean time, go support Michael in New York. He needs someone to talk to," Ramona smiled weakly and backed out of her driveway and left. Lisa sighed and watched her drive away.

She flipped open her phone and climbed back into her car. "Hey, I don't know what good I did, but I think I made an improvement. Some of her color returned. Now she's going back to where she claims she started out so she can clear her mind."

"Where the hell is that?" Luke asked.

"I don't know, but give her some time. She seems like she's in pain," Lisa said.

"Why are you so concerned? Earlier this morning you were ready to slit the girl's throat and now you're being all sweet to her."

"I'm not being sweet. I just know that look. You can't fake a painful look like that," she looked out of her window as she drove home. "Anyway give her time. I will head to New York in the morning and see if I can't figure things out from Michael."

"Why do I get the feeling she won't come around until he sees her again?" he grumbled.

"If that's what it takes, then that's what we will do," Lisa said, gripping her steering wheel.

"Alright, you're the boss," Luke sighed and hung up.


	16. Chapter 16

Ramona found herself sitting atop a familiar boulder with a blanket and her notebook. The cool breeze flowed through her hair and she closed her eyes and breathed in the salty air blowing in from the ocean. The horizon was turning a pale blue color and she knew sunrise wasn't far off. She sat back and wrote in her journal.

_**Dear journal, it's me again. I haven't taken the time to write in a long while, for good reason. I have been rather distracted lately. A lot of my time was spent with my best friend, Michael Jackson. Who would've thought I would end up being his friend after all the craziness in life? It wasn't that long ago I stood in front of him on stage with a bullet in my shoulder, and now we are the best of friends, and he knows so little. He knows the person I am, and part of me truly wishes I had the courage to tell him the truth. I've kept it hidden from him for so long.**_

Ramona stopped as she looked out on the beach. There were a group of young teenagers surrounding a bon fire in the distance. They had music playing and they were laughing and dancing. Ramona looked back down with a smile on her face.

_**I remember those days, back when I was a teenager. I only had 2 friends at that age. Real friends. We were all huge fans of Michael and used to dance like him. Oh how I miss dancing. Sometimes I ask myself why I ever stopped. My friends and I used to own the dance floor at every party, every dance, and even at prom. **_

_What did happen to you? _Her mind became clouded with questions. _You were quite the dancer and the singer, and you played the guitar. You have changed so much since your parents died._

"My parents," she said quietly. "I'm not bitter. I refuse to have anger for someone I don't know. Everything happens for a reason."

She shook her head and closed her notebook and placed it inside her bag. The sun was rising now, and she stood and stretched before hopping down from the boulder. She leaned against it for a moment and sighed. If only she knew Michael was watching the sunset from his hotel balcony at that very moment. Ramona looked down as she remembered the day she and Michael met on this very beach.

_Are you ever gonna tell him the truth? _

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. She glanced down as she left footprints in the sand. She was thinking about a bible verse Michael read to her one night about leaving footprints in the sand. She was so lost in hearing his voice in her head that she didn't see the girls that were standing right in front of her. She ran right into them and jumped back with her hand over her chest.

"Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't see you…there…" she mumbled as the girls turned to her in mid sentence. She knew their faces.

"Ramona?" one of them asked.

"Is it really…?" the other piped up, moving her hand forward.

Ramona took in their appearances. One girl had curly brown hair that flowed just past her shoulders and she had the prettiest brown eyes. She stood at about 5'3 and she was slender with high cheek bones. The other girl stood just a bit taller with straight burgundy hair. It was almost black, but had a hint of purple highlights. She had bright blue eyes and she was a little more curvy than the other.

"Jaz? Saph?" Ramona asked, finally finding her voice. They embraced tightly. These 2 girls were her best friends from high school that she was just writing about moments ago. The only friends she ever had aside from Michael. "What are you doing here?"

"We're on vacation, kind of," Jaz said.

"Technically we live around here. What are you doing here?" Saph asked.

"I came here to clear my head. I live in Los Olivos now," Ramona said with a smile.

"Los Olivos?" Saph asked, glancing at Jaz.

"You live in the same city as Neverland?" Jaz asked.

Ramona blushed a little. "I live next door, actually." Ramona covered her ears as the girls screamed. They began berating her with questions of if she's ever seen Michael Jackson up close. Ramona bit back a grin. She had a lot to tell them. "Come with me, we have much to catch up on," she smiled as she took both girls by the hands and walked down the coast toward her favorite boulder.

_Meanwhile…_

A knock came at the door and Michael opened it, finding Lisa standing there with a weak smile. "Hey," he said quietly, stepping aside to let her in. She smiled and walked in, giving him a brief kiss on the cheek. He returned the kiss lightly and closed the door.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"Tired, as usual," Michael replied.

"Still not getting much sleep, are you?"

"No. What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you had business to take care of back home?" he asked, suddenly irritated. He was already cranky because he couldn't sleep. He hated touring. He loved his fans dearly, but touring took a toll on him. He wouldn't eat much and he could never sleep and doctors threatened to hook him up to an IV if he didn't take better care of himself.

"I came back to check on you. I hear you have been pretty down. How come you didn't tell me?" she asked, sounding hurt.

"Who told you I was down?" he asked, ignoring her last question.

"Ramona," she said plainly.

Michael sat up straighter at this. "When did you talk to her? And why? Is she okay?"

"Relax, Mike. Luke has been checking in with her regularly. He called me when he became concerned and I went to talk to her," she said. Michael narrowed his eyes at her and she put her hands up in defense. "It's not like that, Mike. I went and apologized to her."

"You?" Michael asked in disbelief. "You apologized? Why?"

"I felt bad, okay? Is it really shocking to you that I do have a conscience?" she asked angrily.

"No, I'm just surprised, that's all. What did she say?"

"She forgave me, eventually. She seemed upset about a message you left for her. She said you were in pain and demanded I come talk to you. Then she packed some things and got in her car."

Michael stood up and looked away. "Where did she go?"

"I'm not sure," Lisa said carefully. She had to try to get Michael to tell her where this place was. "She said she was going where she first started out to clear her mind."

Michael's eyes softened. 'She went back to Santa Monica,' he said in his mind. "Did she seem…sad to you?"

Lisa felt a tinge of jealousy. "She did seem to have a lot on her mind." She left out the part of Ramona saying she wanted to help Michael but she knew there was nothing she could do. "Wherever she went, I hope she gets some sunlight. She was way too pale when I saw her."

Michael turned a concerned look on Lisa. "She's sick?" he asked. Lisa shrugged and he sighed. "Maybe I should go see her…"

"No!" Lisa bursted out and then took a step back when Michael shot her a look. "I mean, she said she just needed some time to clear her mind. Maybe all she needs is some alone time." Michael looked down at his feet and sighed heavily. He knew she was right. "Concentrate on your show tonight. I'm sure she will contact you when she's ready."

"What about you?" he asked.

"I have to go back to Tennessee, so I won't be there tonight. I'm sorry. I have to take care of things in Graceland," she said. She was telling the truth for once. Her mother had called her while she was on the plane to New York and said they had been having issues with the estate.

Michael nodded. "Okay."

Lisa kissed him lightly on the lips and Michael kissed her back. His anger diminished a little, knowing Lisa had actually gone and apologized to Ramona. It still didn't completely extinguish his anger. Ramona sounded sick and he felt responsible. He turned back to his balcony once Lisa left and stared out into the distance.

'Please let her be okay,' he thought.

_Meanwhile…_

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Saph said, pulling her knees up to her chest. They were sitting on top of the boulder in a deep conversation. "You and Michael Jackson are best friends, Lisa hates you, then Michael kissed you?"

Ramona nodded. "And then Lisa caught you 2 kissing and she slapped you?" Jaz asked. Ramona nodded again.

"I guess I don't blame her for being angry. Her fiancé kissing another girl would piss me off too," Saph added.

"But how the heck did you and Michael get to be friends anyway?" Jaz asked.

"Well," she breathed. Was she really ready to tell someone else about Bucharest? She paused and stared at her 2 friends. They had always been there for her and kept her secrets, no matter what. She knew she could trust them. "It's a crazy story, actually. But before I get into that, I want you to promise to keep it quiet about this." Both girls nodded and put their hands together as a promise. Ramona took a deep breath. "Did you all watch the show Michael played in Bucharest?"

"Yeah, part of it, why?" Jaz asked.

"So you know about the guy with the gun?" Ramona asked.

They nodded. "Yeah, I wanted to strangle the guy before that girl…wait…" Sapphire paused as she put 2 and 2 together. "Are you trying to tell us that you…?"

Ramona shrugged and then removed her jacket, moving her shirt away so they could see her scar. "That was me."

"OH MY GOD!" they both shrieked.

"Shhh!" Ramona threw her hands over their mouth.

"Sorry," Jaz said. "But my God! What does Michael think about all this?"

"He doesn't know it was me," Ramona admitted.

"How is that possible? He stood over you on the stage!" Saph asked in shock.

Ramona shrugged. "My face was different that night. I had on quite a deal of makeup that had smeared all over my eyes from all the sweat. I'm sure I resembled a raccoon at that point," she smiled a little.

"Wow," Jaz breathed.

"Are you gonna tell him?" Saph asked.

"Eventually I will. Right now I am just trying to avoid him," she admitted.

"Why? Why would anyone want to avoid the King of Pop?" Saph asked.

"I know it sounds silly, but after the incident with Lisa, I just don't feel right about being around him. I feel like I ruined his relationship with Lisa."

"Has he tried to talk to you about it?" Jaz asked.

"Yea, he has called me and written letters, but I never have the courage to answer," she said quietly.

The girls glanced at each other. They knew Ramona missed him and she looked sick to them. "How long has it been since you saw him last?" Saph asked.

"Almost 2 weeks," she answered.

"Maybe you need to talk to him," Jaz suggested.

"I don't know. He asked me to come to his show tonight in New York, but…"

"You should go!" they both said at the same time.

Ramona sighed. She knew she needed to face Michael sooner or later, but tonight? That was asking for trouble. "I don't know."

"Ray, if you don't go tonight, you won't have the chance to see him in a long time," Saph said with sad eyes.

"Yeah, after tonight, he heads to Japan, Tokyo, and London too," Jaz added. "At least think about going tonight. We will go with you for support."

"I'll think about it," she said. "I better go. I just remembered I have a column to finish before Monday," she said. She wasn't lying, she did have to finish writing soon, but she had time. She was almost done with it. Only minor details to iron out before she had to turn it in to Charlie.

"Oh right, you work for the LA times, I forgot," Jaz said.

Ramona nodded and they exchanged numbers before saying their goodbyes. "I'll invite you girls over to my home sometime."

"We would love that," Saph said with a smile. They walked Ramona to her car and she left soon after.

On her drive through town, she decided to stop by the store to pick up some printer paper and a few essentials. As she loaded her car with new items, she heard a familiar song playing from across the street. It sounded like Jam. She locked up her car and followed the sound across the road. She looked up at the building that read _Studio Fly. _Interesting name, she thought. She looked at the windows that were fogged from the cold air. She could see someone inside moving around. She wiped some of the fog away and saw a young woman dancing.

She had moves like Michael. Very close to Michael, actually. This captured her interest and she walked to the door and found it unlocked. She quietly snuck in and placed her things aside to watch this woman. She was very well built and stood at about 5'5 with bronze skin that glistened with sweat. She danced in front of a large mirror and Ramona noticed her dark brown hair and deep golden brown eyes. She was intense.

Before long, Ramona found herself moving to the beat. Michael's music had that effect on her. She grew curious as she watched the woman move and she slowly removed her jacket and boots. She took a stance behind the woman at a distance and copied her moves. She moved and danced with the woman and she felt her energy returning. She hadn't danced in so many years and now she kicked herself for ever giving it up.

The woman went into a spin just as the song came to a close and she screamed when she came face to face with Ramona. Both screamed and jumped back and the woman slapped the stereo nearby to shut it off.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I heard the music and saw you dance and I just couldn't help myself," Ramona said frantically.

"No no, it's quite alright. Michael's music has that magical effect on people," she smiled and held her hand out. "I'm Tasha."

Ramona shook her hand. "Ramona," she smiled.

"Ramona….Ramona Greene from the LA Times?" she asked.

"Guilty," she shrugged.

"I love your columns about Michael! You're friends with him, right?" she asked.

"I am," she said quietly.

Tasha took notice in her mood change. "How is the applehead these days?" she asked.

"He's Michael…" she paused. "Did you call him applehead?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"Yea. Little known fact about me, Michael and I grew up together," she said and then stretched as if it were no big deal.

"Really? Wow," Ramona said.

"Yea, we lost touch when he started the HIStory tour. The butthead. I haven't heard from him since then," she scrunched up her face. "I heard about the Bucharest thing. Did you ever figure out who the girl was?"

Ramona shook her head. "Hey, do you mind if I dance with you?" she asked suddenly.

Tasha's eyes widened a bit before she smiled. "A passion for dancing and a friend of Michael's? Does he know you dance?"

"No. There's much he doesn't know about me. Actually this is the first time I've danced in years," she admitted shyly.

"Well then," she pranced over to her stereo. "Have you ever heard the remix to Scream?"

Ramona shook her head. "No, not really."

"Okay, well it's called Scream Louder and it's a more intense song that will certainly test your moves. You think you're up for the challenge?"

"Oh yes," Ramona grinned.

"Are you familiar with the Scream dance?" Tasha asked as she stretched once more.

"Very," Ramona replied as she stretched herself.

"Alright then, let's see what you've got," she smacked the stereo to life and the song began to play. Ramona stepped forward in front of the mirror and started with the slow moves. Tasha moved right next to her. As the music sped up, so did the dance moves. Ramona grinned widely the entire time. Oh how she missed dancing. She nailed every move and threw in a bit of her own and Tasha watched her as she danced next to her.

They both grinned widely as the bridge hit. They slid on their knees just like Michael and Janet had done and they copied their moves exactly. When the song ended, both were covered in sweat.

"That was so electrifying!" Ramona smiled widely. "I feel so alive!"

"Glad to hear it," Tasha patted her on the back. "You should show some of your moves to Michael. Right now, in fact. Go to Neverland and show him!" she nudged Ramona.

"I can't," she giggled. "He's in New York for a show."

"Okay, then go to New York," she said simply.

Ramona grinned and exchanged numbers with Tasha before heading home. She found Luke sitting outside in his car as if he had just gotten there to check on her. She was so full of life now that she jumped out of her car and hugged him. He was taken by surprise and he hugged her back.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked with a grin.

"Dancing. I used to dance all the time, and now I'm doing it again," she grinned up at him.

"You should do it more often, You have your color back in those gorgeous cheeks again," he smirked and she blushed.

She turned back to her car and grabbed her things from the trunk and headed inside, Luke followed with a few more bags. She set her things down and saw that her answering machine was lit up. Luke walked into the bathroom and shut the door and she took that opportunity to hit play.

_Hey Ramona, it's your favorite boss! I was calling to check up on you. Don't work yourself too hard on that next column. I hope Luke is taking good care of you. Please call me soon to give me an update. Oh, before I forget, I received a call from Mike. He is really scared for you and he misses you. Maybe you should talk to him. Call me soon, angel!_

_End of messages_

Ramona bit her lip in deep thought.

_Meanwhile…_

"We want Michael! We want Michael!" the chanting of the crowd was echoing through the walls as Michael stood in his dressing room preparing for the concert. He sighed into his mirror and pulled a photo of him and Ramona from the side of the mirror. A tear slid down his face as a knock came at the door.

"Time to go do your thing, Mike," Frank said as he poked his head inside the door. Michael nodded and wiped the tear away quickly, putting the photo in a drawer nearby. "She will come around, Mike. Try to cheer up. Your fans are out there ready to support you."

"Only one person is missing," he whispered as he headed out past Frank.

He walked out on stage and danced through the music, eventually the pain leaving his hard as he allowed the music to flow through him. Near the end of the concert, a song he really wasn't prepared to sing came next. He took a deep breath and hit his knees as he began to sing. "She's out of my life."

As he went through the song, he let the tears flow. He cried during this song in every show just to add to the effects, but this time, the tears were from a real sadness. He didn't have to dig deep into his past to bring the tears up. He glanced around the crowd near the end of the song and he looked down at his feet as he curled into a ball on stage and wept. He could hear the fans crying out to him in support and it made his heart race. He always did say he was married to his fans.

He breathed in deep as he prepared for the next song, You Are Not Alone, when a fan would be brought to him on stage. He had to get a hold of himself for this. He never knew who would be brought to him, so he had to concentrate on erasing the sadness and bringing the passion back to his eyes. He remained on his knees as the girl was brought on stage. He didn't see her face, but he noticed she wasn't fighting the man to get to him faster. She seemed calm.

He held his hand out to the girl as the spotlight hit and his eyes lit up with happy tears. "Ramona…" he whispered so the microphone didn't pick it up.

Ramona smiled and hugged him as the song began. "Hey, tomcat. I missed you," she said as she kissed his cheek.

He began to sing to her and she danced with him. He wiped away stray tears that fell from her eyes and she did the same for him. 2 best friends shared the stage and danced together and both were overwhelmed with emotion. Ramona was so happy to see him again that she didn't even notice she was on stage in front of a sea of people. When the instrumental part hit, Michael kissed Ramona on the cheek.

"I missed you so much, babygirl. Don't ever do that to me again," he whispered into her ear and kissed her cheek again.

"Never again," she whispered and buried her face in his chest.


	17. Chapter 17

As Ramona and Michael finished their dance on stage, he hugged her tightly and whispered to her to no one would get the hint they knew each other personally.

"Go to your right when you get off stage and find Derek. He will take you backstage to wait for me," he said.

"No, it's alright. I have some friends in the audience. I'm gonna join them for the rest of your show and I will find you later," she whispered back and kissed his cheek. The guard came and pulled her away from him and she reached her arm out with a longing look on her face as she was led back to her place in the crowd with Saph and Jaz. Michael almost smirked at how well she played it off.

The lights went out as Saph and Jaz wrapped their arms around Ramona. The stage light hit Michael as he was toweling off his face. Ramona grinned as she wiped his sweat off of her neck and face. "Are you wiping off his sweat?" Saph asked.

"Yep," she said as she dried her skin with her sleeve.

Jaz began to retort when Michael laughed into the microphone and everyone began to cheer. Michael started blushing as he shrugged off his jacket just to have someone put a different one on him. "Okay, now I'm gonna take off this jacket, put this jacket on…" he paused as the jacket was slid on and a man came up to him with a cup of apple juice. "I'm gonna drink this juice," he said as he took a big gulp and handed it back to the man. "Thank you."

Ramona rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What a dork," she said.

Michael gave a loud "Ow!" and the crowd followed. He grinned and made a few more sounds before laughing. "I love you!" Everyone cheered loudly and screamed they loved him too and Michael giggled again. "I love you more, how about that?" The crowd grew louder, which was hardly possible to Ramona. "No, no, I can beat that. I love you most!"

Saph and Jaz cheered with the rest of them and even Ramona joined in shouting out their love to him. They all laughed as Michael grew embarrassed and blushed. He moved from the microphone and covered his face before making a funny gesture at the dancer next to him.

"How is it you're his best friend?" Jaz said in Ramona's ear.

"Just lucky I guess," she shrugged, never taking her eyes off him.

"Now we're gonna give you…" he paused and laughed. "Now we're gonna…" he laughed again as the crowd continued cheering. "Now we're gonna give you a taste of the old life. Hit it!" he shouted as the familiar music of the Jackson 5 era blared to life. The crowd cheered and danced and sang along with him. Ramona couldn't get over how he glowed as he sang the old songs he sang with his brothers so many years ago.

As the concert grew to a close, Ramona leaned toward the girls. "Come with me and stay close," she said. The girls nodded and grabbed her arm as she trailed them through the crowd near the sidelines. The crowd was still hyped up and cheering for Michael. He was singing I'll Be There. He would sing Man in the Mirror last and that gave Ramona enough time to get back to his dressing room to change clothes and leave before he got back there.

"Are we really going to skip out on the last song?" Saph pouted.

"No way. Man in the Mirror is my favorite song. I wouldn't miss it," Ramona looked back and winked before turning to face a large black man standing by a small staircase. The girls behind Ramona froze and Ramona simply smiled at him and brushed her hair out of her face. The man who was once glaring at her softened his look when he saw her face. "Hey Shawn. Are my bags in his room?" she asked.

"Yep, sure thing. Go on through," he said, handing her 3 backstage passes and moving to the side to let them pass.

"Thanks," she winked and dragged the girls backstage.

"Wow, he was scary. How many connections do you have, Ray?" Jaz asked.

"Not as many as he does. And don't worry about Shawn. He's nothing but a big pushover," she smiled.

She led them back to his dressing room before passing Frank and giving him a brief hug before heading inside. Her bag was lying by the door and she jerked it up as the girls shut the door behind them. They looked around the room as Ramona pawed through some clothes.

"How is it you just happened to bring a bag of clothes with you?" Saph asked as she began touching every inch of Michael's countertop holding his makeup and accessories.

"You always have to be prepared," she said. She settled on a nice black dress and big gold earrings. She sat in Michael's chair and fixed her hair and makeup before turning around to change her clothes. She caught Jaz pawing through Michael's wardrobe.

"Don't take anything off that wrack, Jaz."

Jaz froze and released the black glitter jacket she was about to pull out. "Why not?"

"I don't want him to know anyone was in here," she said as she stripped down her clothes and pulled on the dress. Saph shook her head at Jaz and helped Ramona zip up the back of her dress.

"He wouldn't know," Jaz snorted as she reached for the jacket again.

"Don't," Ramona warned and she pulled her hand back like she had been slapped. "He is very detail oriented. Now let's get back out there so we can watch the last performance," she smiled.

_Later…_

"Thank you New York! I love you! God bless!" Michael smiled and blew kisses to the crowd as he ran off stage. He grabbed a towel from a man nearby and wiped his face as he dashed into his dressing room to change. He took a moment to calm down as he changed clothes. He peeled off his clothes and slipped on his black dress pants and a button down red collared shirt. He pulled on a black jacket with a red armband on and walked over to the mirror. He fixed his hair and pulled it back into a partial ponytail and pulled a few strands in front of his face as he placed his fedora on and sighed.

He grabbed his bag off the floor and threw it over his shoulder as he opened the door to meet his many body guards to lead him outside. He wondered where Ramona had gone. "Derek, where is she?" he asked.

"I don't know. She said she would find you. No worries, man. You look sharp!" he said as he patted his back. Michael smiled and nodded his thanks as he headed out the door. Flashes of cameras filled the night sky the moment he stepped out and he pulled his hat over his eyes as he waved to the screaming fans who had spotted him.

As he turned to thank the director for a wonderful show, he felt his hat pull backward. He tensed for a split second when an arm reached over the back of his shoulder and hugged him tightly. "Hey, tomcat," she said in his ear and kissed his cheek. Derek snapped a photo from the side as she did this. He turned and hugged her tightly.

"You look beautiful, babygirl. I'm so glad you made it. It means so much to me," he said into her hair.

Saph and Jaz stood behind her grinning ear to ear. "They look so natural together," Jaz whispered to Saph.

"Yea, I know," she said quietly.

"Who might you ladies be?" Michael asked when he spotted them inside the barricade from over Ramona's shoulder.

Ramona released him and turned. "Oh, these are my friends I told you about. This is Jaz," she paused as Michael stepped forward and kissed the back of her hand. She blushed and bowed in respect. "And Saph," she finished as Michael did the same to her.

"So nice to meet the both of you. We better get going before the media starts a bunch of crud," Michael said.

Ramona nodded. "Alright. What hotel are you staying at?"

Michael leaned down to whisper to her so no one else could hear. "Millenium hotel in Manhattan."

"That sounds…expensive," she cringed and Michael chuckled.

"I'll send Derek with you and you can meet me there. I'll put you ladies up for the night, alright?" he said.

Ramona bit her lip and looked at the girls, giving them a pleading look. "That's kind of you, Mr. Jackson, but that is a lot of money, and…" Saph started.

Michael held his hand up to stop her. "You really are like Ramona," he grinned and she blushed. "And please, call me Michael. I'll see you there," he winked and walked to his car.

Ramona groaned and rolled her eyes and Derek walked up to them, offering his arms on both sides of him. "Looks like I get all the PYT's tonight," he teased.

Jaz and Saph giggled and hooked their arms in his. "For now, yes," Jaz said.

Derek looked at Ramona and she shook her head and began her walk toward their car. "I would rather go solo, thanks."

"Ouch. That one hurt, Ray," Derek taunted her. She flipped him off from under her chin and Saph chuckled.

"Sounds like she is more like Michael than like me."

Ramona shot her a look before she sighed and giggled herself. "Yeah yeah, whatever."

_Later…_

Ramona sat at her computer in her hotel room and giggled. She was back on Facebook and she had a chat going with Jaz, Saph, and Michael. Michael had somehow booked a triple room with all conjoining doors in between. Ramona had the middle room and a door that connected to Michael's was wide open. The door on the opposite side of the room led to the girls' room and it was closed.

Ramona posted her status with a smile on her face. _In New York hanging out with my tomcat again! Oh how I missed you, Mike!_

She hadn't expected Michael to comment right away, but ironically he was on Facebook that very moment. _I missed you too, babygirl! _He commented back.

Ramona blushed and before she could reply, Saph made a comment. _Aw how sweet! We all wish we were going with you to Japan, Mike! You have to send us a postcard!_

Another comment came after that which surprised Ramona. Tasha was now in on the comments. _Yeah, what Saph said!_

Ramona heard Michael chuckle from his room before he replied. _I'll get you all the nicest postcard I can find._

Ramona grinned and posted a new comment. _I'll make sure he does it._

Michael leaned back in his chair and looked at Ramona through the conjoining door and stuck his tongue out at her. She laughed and shook her head and looked back to the computer screen.

_Count me in! _Jaz commented.

_I wouldn't leave you out, Jaz. No worries! _Michael replied.

_Aw I love you guys! _Saph said.

_Love you more! _Tasha replied. Ramona chuckled at the confused look on Michael's face. She figured he didn't recognize her yet.

_Love you the most! _Ramona threw in with a smirk.

_I love you all the mostest! I have a feeling I will get griped at for stealing Michael's word :P _Jaz responded. Ramona giggled again.

_Hey! That's my word! Oh well, I will think of a new one, most likely… _Michael retored.

_Uh oh, he sounds determined _Saph replied.

_I could be… _he shot back.

_He is stubborn _Jaz shot back

_He is, isn't he? _Saph added. Ramona could hear them giggling from their room. My weren't they getting brave from 2 rooms away? Ramona smiled at her own thoughts.

_I'm right here, you know! _Michael commented.

_Point being? _Saph replied.

_Yeah, what's your point, Mike? _Jaz added.

Michael sighed deeply. _Nevermind._

_Oh, I think we pissed him off now _Saph tried to get a rise out of him.

_Yeah right _Jaz didn't seem so sure.

Michael shook his head. _You girls are silly :P_

Ramona shook her head as well and decided to intervene. _Oh come on, girls. Leave my tomcat alone :P You both know it's impossible to anger him :)_

_Yeah but it's fun to try _Jaz replied.

_Yes, but that, Jaz is called an epic fail _Ramona shot back and smiled when she heard Michael chuckle.

_You tell her, babygirl! _He commented.

_I always have your back, tomcat ;) Ps – I can see you! I love conjoined rooms ^_^ _Ramona giggled at her own comment and looked over at Michael. He looked back at her and waved. She giggled and waved back.

_And I always have yours, babygirl. Ps – I can see you too! _He replied and chuckled again.

_Yeah, that's not creepy or anything _Saph commented sarcastically and Michael rolled his eyes.

_You guys are facebooking each other and you can see each other? Weirdos _Jaz added.

Ramona laughed. _You would understand if you saw the funny looks he gets on his face when he reads what we write _She glanced back at Michael and he scrunched his nose at the computer screen.

_What funny looks? _He replied and then looked around the room innocently. She giggled as she noticed how red he was turning.

_Why are you blushing, Mike? _Ramona added with a smile.

Michael blushed even more and snorted. _I am not blushing!_

"Uh huh, sure you're not," Saph's voice came from the other side of Ramona's room. They looked up and saw Saph and Jaz now standing in the doorway of their own conjoined door. "Sorry, I had to see for myself."

"Me too," Jaz said. They sat down on a couch near the window and watched Ramona and Michael with amused looks on their faces.

"Yes you are," Ramona said to Mike. She grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at him and he dodged it.

He picked it up and threw it back at her. "Am not! Take that back!"

Ramona stood up and folded her arms. "No."

Michael gave her a look as he stood up and started walking toward the door. "Ramona…"

"What are you doing? Go sit back down! Don't give me that look! Sit down!" she started backing up when he entered the room. "Uh oh…" she ran and dove over the bed and hid on the other side where Michael couldn't see her.

"I'll get you, babygirl. You know you can't hide from me," Michael sang like he had before. Ramona rolled her eyes and looked around for a moment before dragging the blanket off of the bed and throwing it over her head and stood up.

"Don't mess with me, Michael Jackson! I am a ghost!" she said and then began making spooky ghost sounds. Michael quirked a brow at her and glanced back at the girls.

Jaz and Saph stared with incredulous looks on their faces. "She's lost her mind!" Jaz said.

"Probably from hanging with the applehead over there too much," Saph muttered and then slapped a hand over her mouth when Michael shot her a look.

Ramona scoffed at the girls from under the blanket and continued her ghost sounds. "Fear the ghost!"

Michael chuckled and walked over to her. "Real convincing, Ramona Greene!" he laughed as he ripped the blanket off of her. She squealed and wrapped her arms around herself as if Michael had caught her in the shower.

"Don't look at me! I'm not decent!" she squeaked.

"I think Michael spiked her drink or something," Jaz noted, pointing over at Ramona's glass of pepsi on the counter by the bathroom.

Michael ignored the girls and focused on Ramona. "Decent or not, oh well!" he said as he began attacking her with tickles. She laughed and jumped back against the wall, falling to the floor with Michael over her, tickling her sides and laughing with her.

"Ahh! Stop it!" she yelled as she tried to push him off. "Michael Joseph Jackson! Cut it out!"

Jaz looked around for a moment. "Where's my camera?"

"What's with the full name usage, here?" Michael said as he continued his attack on Ramona. "You'll never win, girl!"

Ramona scoffed at him. "Wanna bet?" she asked as she pulled her feet in between them and shoved him off, landing herself on top of him and started tickling him. "Oh how the tables have turned!" she taunted him.

Jaz handed Saph a bag of candy she had nearby. "Might as well get comfy," she said. Saph nodded and they both sat back.

"No, no, no!" Michael yelled, laughing uncontrollably under Ramona's toruture.

"You guys are gonna get the security all riled up," Jaz muttered.

Saph glanced at her and then shrugged. "I don't think they care."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ramona yelled back, still tickling him. "Do you give up yet?"

"Never!" he yelled as he grabbed her wrists and forced his weight to overtake Ramona, sending her back down under him and he started tickling her again. "Ah ha!"

Ramona screamed and laughed, trying not to kick Michael. "Derek! Help!" she yelled, hoping he would hear her.

"Derek can't help you now, babygirl!" he laughed. "Give up?"

His hands slipped by Ramona's head for a moment and she jerked her head to the side and licked his hand. She remembered wrestling like this with her brothers when they were younger, and the only way to get them to stop was to lick them. Michael's eyes widened and he jerked his hand away.

"Ewww!" he cringed and wiped his hand on Ramona's arm. "Gross Ramona!"

"Dang where the heck is security?" Saph asked.

"Too bad there's no bugs, huh? Wait…we have dinner in the other room, remember?" Jaz said as she grabbed Saph by the arm.

Saph's eyes widened in realization. "That will get his attention for sure!" she jumped to her feet.

Ramona laughed and tickled Michael with her free hand. "Give up, applebutt!" she fought to regain control and he laughed and fought back.

"Never!" he yelled.

"Mike, stop it!" she laughed uncontrollably.

"No, you stop it first!" he retorted with a laugh.

"Nooo!" she yelled and continued fighting him.

Just then, Saph ran back into the room with a big bucket of friend chicken. "Hey look, Jaz! Someone brought us some KFC!" she said loudly on purpose.

"Give it up Ram…" he paused and sat up for a moment. "KFC?"

Ramona pushed Michael off and jumped up, suddenly smelling the chicken in the air. "Yum! I'm starved!"

Saph handed a leg to Ramona with a smile. "Okay, here you go."

"Wait, hey! No fair!" Michael jumped up on his feet and pouted.

Jaz laughed at Ramona's sudden attraction to KFC. "Ramona really has been around Michael too long."

"Obviously," Saph added.

"Hey! KFC is good stuff! Right, tomcat?" she winked at Michael and he smiled and nodded.

"Yeah it is! Can I have some now? Please?" he begged.

"Aw, Saph, don't make the man beg like that," Jaz nudged her.

"Why not? It's kind of funny," she retorted.

Michael pouted again and Ramona rolled her eyes and snatched the bucket from Saph and handed it to Michael. "Here, tomcat."

Michael grinned widely like a child. "Yay! Thank you, babygirl," he winked at her.

"You're welcome," she smiled and started tearing the skin off of her chicken. Michael smiled back at her and tore off the skin of his chicken as well. The girls exchanged glances and stared at Ramona and Mike for a moment.

"Similar much?" Saph said.

Ramona shrugged. "Michael has me hooked on the organics now," she said simply.

Jaz chuckled. "Next thing you know, she's gonna start grabbing her crotch and moonwalking all over the place."

Ramona sucked in a piece of chicken and started choking on it. "Wh-what?"

Michael coughed a little and turned bright red. "Huh?"

Ramona coughed. "No! I mean…I can moonwalk…" she paused as she started blushing at her confession. "but the other thing? No…no no no and NO!"

Jaz laughed. "Wow, she even embarrasses easily like Michael."

"Yeah, she is, isn't she?" Saph agreed.

"Yeah, well, I mean that move…" Michael started and then paused, shooting Ramona a look. "Wait a minute, you can moonwalk?"

"Um," Ramona blushed even more and walked to the other side of the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "yes?"

"And you never told me?" Michael asked, setting his chicken aside and folding his arms.

"Well, it was more of a…um…a newly acquired skill?" she bit her lip nervously. "It's really no big deal! I mean, I'm not that good at it, really…" she looked down at her feet in embarrassment. She was planning on telling Mike about her passion to dance, but not this soon. She wanted to make this visit with him more about him. Not about her.

"You have to show me," Michael said suddenly.

Ramona shot her head up and coughed again. "Wh-what? I can't! I mean..it's so late and we don't even have any music!"

"We've got music," he smirked. "Please?"

"We do?" she coughed again. She was so nervous now. She knew how stubborn he was. He wasn't going to let this go. "Didn't you get enough music earlier at your concert? My goodness, you played for 4 hours straight and you're not even the least bit tired?" she tried desperately to get out of this.

"No. You're trying to avoid this…oh please, just show me. Please?" he put on his best sad face and Ramona felt herself grow frustrated.

"Oh come on, Ray. What harm could it do? He's your best friend, remember?" Jaz encouraged.

Saph nodded. "Yeah, it couldn't hurt."

Ramona sighed and stood up. "Fine, but you have to do it with me or it's no deal. Got it?" she said in a frustrated voice. Michael smiled and nodded. He stood next to her in the middle of the room and she glanced around nervously. "Where's the music?"

"I've got that covered. Are you ready?" he asked, giving her his infamous dazzling smile.

She blushed and drew in a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Michael began beatboxing to Billie Jean for a moment as he moved his hips from side to side. Ramona's eyes grew wide at this new sound and then she smiled and followed him, moving her hips just like him. After a moment she decided to beat box with him, adding additional sounds that worked well with his.

Michael smiled slightly at the girls' reactions behind them. They were getting a free show and there was no camera in sight. This was all him and Ramona just having a little fun, and he was loving every second of it. He was surprised she could beat box as well. He liked the new sounds she made with him.

Ramona began humming the beginning parts and she jerked her chest forward to the beat. Michael smiled and followed her moves and began to sing the song. Ramona turned slightly and began to follow him, moving her hips like him and smiling a little more with every move.

"That right there, is the Ramona we know," Saph nudged Jaz and she nodded.

As the dance continued, Ramona began a side shuffle and grinned at the look on his face as she began to harmonize with him. His eyes were practically sparkling at this new side of Ramona he had never seen before. She winked and spun around and began the moonwalk. He grinned and followed her and side by side, they moonwalked across the floor. Michael was trying to show her how to move her head to make the illusion better, but she hadn't quite mastered that part yet.

They both began the kick walk back to the center of the room and both smiled widely.

"That is so cool!" Saph clapped.

"It is! But I think Ramona is about to get owned," Jaz added, seeing the smirk on Michael's face.

He began to do the infamous robot that no one but Michael could do. Ramona giggled and tried her best to follow him. She made the illusion believable but she still wasn't as good as Michael. Let's face it, no one is as good as Michael.

"She's good!" Jaz cheered.

"Yeah she is," Saph agreed.

Michael tried not to laugh at her enthusiasm. She hadn't quite mastered it yet, but she was doing very well. Better than he imagined. Ramona gave him a look and shook her head. "Don't give me that look! I'll mess up!" she breathed as she continued to dance. Michael gave her a funny look and she decided to make him laugh by grabbing her crotch. Michael laughed lightly and Ramona strolled up to him and purposely kicked with the wrong leg. Michael started laughing like crazy.

He regained his focus and moved away from Ramona to the center of the room and he went into a fast spin before stopping on the tips of his toes and pointing at Ramona, urging her to follow his moves. Ramona hesitated for a moment before moving forward. She spun perfectly and as she went up on her toes, she stumbled and yelped, feeling her ankle roll from under her. Michael was quick to grab her before she fell.

"Careful there, wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," he winked, setting her back on her feet.

She blushed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Thanks, tomcat. I told you I wasn't as good as you."

Michael smiled and sat next to her, both had forgotten they weren't alone. "Aw, babygirl, don't be so hard on yourself. You'll get it in time. Besides," he lowered his voice to a softer tone. "I think you did a wonderful job."

Ramona blushed even more and hugged Michael tightly. "Thanks, tomcat." She yawned and stretched when she saw the clock nearby. "I think we better get some sleep. We have so much to do tomorrow before you leave the country."

Michael looked down at the floor with a sad look on his face. "Yeah, I know," he sighed.

Ramona nudged Michael and stood up, hugging the girls as they stood to head to their rooms. "Goodnight ladies," she smiled and then turned to Michael, kissing him on the cheek. "Goodnight, tomcat." She paused and then added, "would you mind leaving the door open between our rooms? I'd feel safer knowing there's nothing standing in between us," she blushed again. "I'm not quite used to being so far from home."

Michael blushed as well. "Of course, babygirl. I'd feel better knowing that too," he smiled softly.

The girls smiled at each other before wishing them a goodnight and headed to bed, closing their door behind them. Ramona smiled and crawled into her bed, shutting out the light on the table nearby. She glanced at Michael has he backed into his room and blew him a kiss. "Goodnight, tomcat. I love you," she blushed at her own words and curled her toes from under the blanket.

Michael caught the kiss in the air and blew one back to her. "I love you more, babygirl." She smiled and he winked and crawled into his own bed. Both sighed into their pillow at the same time. They didn't want to be countries apart, but Michael knew it was all a part of the job. Ramona however, wasn't used to his kind of work. He hoped she would be alright while he was gone.


	18. Chapter 18

Ramona lay awake for quite some time after she had bid Michael a goodnight. She stared up at the ceiling for a while, allowing her mind to sort through whatever happened to come through her mind at that time. She looked at the clock for about the hundredth time that night and groaned. It was already 4 in the morning. She groaned and kicked off her covers and paced the hotel room. Why couldn't she get her mind to shut up?

She glanced into Michael's room as she walked by the open door and saw him laying flat on his stomach. His hair was covering most of his face and his arm hung over the side of the bed. His mouth was slightly open and the steady rise and fall of his back showed he was in a deep sleep. She envied him at that moment. She walked over to her suitcase and dug threw her medicine bag for something to help her sleep. The only thing she had in that category was a prescription pain killer for her shoulder.

She had been keeping it from everyone. The pain behind the scar came and went at the most awkward times and she found herself masking the pain from her face when she was around someone. She called her doctor that had watched over her surgery when she first arrived in the hospital in California. She was transferred from a hospital in Bucharest after they failed to find the bullet. Ramona herself had insisted on going back to California for further examination.

She rubbed her shoulder in thought and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the medication bottle in her hand. She didn't want to become dependant on these pills of hers, but what choice did she have? She couldn't commit to seeing a doctor regularly and risk Michael finding out. Not yet anyway. Maybe she could see a doctor after he left the country for a while.

Then her mind drifted once again and she was frozen in place as her mind fell upon a few questions that she never thought she would ask herself. What would have happened if she didn't make it to the stage in time? What would she have done if Michael had been shot? Would he have survived it, or would he have died right there in front of her and thousands of his other adoring fans?

She winced as the pain returned and she shook her head. A single tear fell down her face as she popped the cap open and took 2 pills. She buried the bottle in her bag and climbed back into the covers and soon fell into a deep sleep.

An hour later, Michael rose from his sleep. He shrugged when he glanced at the clock. He was used to getting only 2 to 3 hours of sleep every night when he had a show coming up. He really didn't want to leave the country. He stretched and popped his back before he stood and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He shuffled his feet across the room and glanced into Ramona's room to see her lying on her back. She had one arm draped over her stomach and the other bent over her head. Michael smirked at how cute she looked and went to the desk on the other side of the room and sat down. He opened his laptop computer and began reading.

_Ramona began to dream shortly after that. The one thing she never wanted to see was taking place in this nightmare and she wanted out. She stood in the crowd and watched as the gunman pulled out the gun. She fought her way to the front once again, and instead of finding Derek pushing her back, it was someone she'd never even seen before. She shook that off and continued to fight the man when he suddenly threw her over his shoulder and began walking away from the stage. Ramona looked up at Michael and saw him look at her curiously. He began walking toward her, ready to say something to the man that was taking her away, when the gunshot went off and Michael grabbed his chest. His eyes never left Ramona's as he fell on stage._

"_No!" she yelled. The man that held her turned abruptly and dropped her. The crowd around her ran in a panic and trampled her in the process. She pushed herself to her knees and looked down at the ground to see a puddle of blood. She was bleeding from her chest in the exact same spot Michael was shot. She stumbled to her feet and made her way to the stage where Michael was now lying in a puddle of his own blood. Ramona crawled toward him, leaving her own trail of blood behind her. _

_She touched his face and he looked at her weakly. "Stay with me, Mike. You have to stay with me!" she called to him as she caressed his face._

_He smiled softly at her and reached up to wipe her tears from her face. "I love you," he said softly and closed his eyes._

"_No," she said as his hand fell beside her. "No, Michael, no! Don't go! I need my tomcat with me, please! I love you!" she cried and he didn't respond. She let her tears fall and she lowered her head down onto his chest and closed her eyes. _

Michael's ears picked up whimpering coming from Ramona's hotel room and he stood up and walked to the doorway. She was moving around the bed and mumbling. She swung her arm over her and yelled out, causing Michael to jump slightly and rush to her side. He looked over her and tried to decide what to do.

"No, Michael no!" she cried. "I need my tomcat!" she whimpered. Michael winced at the pain in her voice. She had tears leaking from her tightly closed eyes and he reached up and wiped them away. "I love you," she whimpered and more tears followed.

"Ramona, babygirl, come on. I'm right here," he said as he moved her hair from her face. She whimpered more and turned over in her sleep.

_A stage hand came in and placed his hands on Ramona's shoulders. "He's gone, miss. Come on, let's get you some help."_

"_No!" she yelled. "I won't leave Michael. I can't!" she cried out. _

"You aren't leaving me, babygirl. Wake up, please," he begged as he continued to try to wake her. She quit talking and simply started to cry. Michael acted out of instinct and he pushed her away from the side of the bed and crawled in next to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist and he began to sing softly into her ear. "You are not alone, I am here with you…"

_Ramona froze over Michael's body when she heard music. "You are not alone, I am here with you…"_

"_Michael?" she asked, sitting up._

"_Yes, I am here, babygirl. Though we're far away, I am here to stay," he sang. "Wake up," he whispered._

Her eyes flew open and she gasped. "I'm here," he whispered into her ear. By that time, she had noticed his arms tightly around her waist and she felt his breath on her neck. Tears flowed freely down her face and she turned in his arms to face him. "I told you I wouldn't leave you," he said as he wiped the tears from her eyes.

Ramona was speechless. She grabbed the side of his face gently and kissed him suddenly. Michael hesitated at first but kissed her back. She needed comfort and he would do what he could to help her. She smiled softly and buried her face into his neck and sighed deeply. Her heart rate slowed now that she was relaxed. Michael held her against his chest and moments later, she had fallen back to sleep. Michael played with her hair before he eventually drifted off to sleep himself, wondering just what it was that scared his best friend so much.

_A few hours later…_

Saph and Jaz snuck into Ramona's room, ready to surprise her. They planned on sneaking in and jumping on top of her on the bed like they used to do back in high school. When they came around the corner, the both froze. Michael was in her bed with her sound asleep. They were tightly wound together, Ramona with her back to Michael and Michael with his arms wrapped around her tightly. His arm came around her side and bent so his hand was pulled against her chest next to her heart. Her hand held his tightly, fingers intertwined together. Both seemed very relaxed and in a deep sleep.

"I think I'm jealous," Jaz said quietly.

"Shh, let's not wake them and ruin the moment," Saph nudge Jaz toward the door.

Just as they were about to make it to the door, Ramona cracked one eye open. "Why are you two sneaking into my room?" she asked quietly.

The girls froze and looked at her. "Well, we were going to come and surprise you, but it seems someone already beat us to it," Saph said with a smirk.

Ramona's eyes narrowed in confusion and almost jumped when she felt an arm tighten around her. She looked down at her own hand grasping his and her face turned bright red. She glanced over her shoulder to see Michael's face buried in her pillow behind her and she smiled. He looked so carefree and relaxed when he was asleep. Then she looked back at the girls and tried to figure out when he came into her room and why.

"So, what happened last night?" Jaz asked carefully.

Ramona's eyes widened. "Nothing like that, Jaz," she said quickly. She looked down at his hand that still held hers and pulled it against her scar. The shoulder of her loose shirt had fallen, revealing her scar and she placed the back of his hand against it tightly. She felt a tingling sensation when their bare skin came in contact with each other and she closed her eyes.

Seconds later, he mumbled and tightened his arm again and she pulled her shirt up quickly and turned over to look at him. He yawned and rubbed his eyes with his free hand and peaked through cracked eyelids at Ramona and then smiled. "Good morning," he said tiredly.

She smirked. "Good morning to you too," she released his hand and he smiled again, still keeping his hand on her waist. "We have company," she said.

Michael sat up and looked over her to see the girls standing there with cheesy grins on their faces. He turned red and removed his hand before standing up from the bed and stretching. "Good morning ladies. Did you sleep well?"

They both giggled. "Yes we did, thank you," Jaz said.

"I suppose we don't even have to ask you the same thing since we saw it for ourselves," Saph winked and Michael blushed.

Ramona giggled. "Okay, you two, lay off. What are we doing today?" she asked.

"Breakfast first," Jaz and Saph said in unison. Michael and Ramona giggled and nodded.

"Okay, well then let's all get cleaned up and ready for the day and I will order some breakfast for all of us and we can plan out our day while we eat. How does that sound?" Michael asked.

"Sounds good to me," Ramona smiled and the girls agreed and headed back to their rooms to get ready.

Michael smiled at Ramona once more before turning to his room and Ramona bit her lip and then stood up to make her bed. "Michael?"

"Hm?" he turned and leaned in the doorway.

"Not that I mind or anything, but what were you doing in my bed?" she asked shyly.

Michael hesitated for a moment. "You were crying in your sleep and I couldn't get you to stop," he said sadly.

Ramona looked at the floor in deep thought. She remembered the nightmare vaguely and then her scar began to burn. She bit her tongue to keep from wincing and sighed. "Oh."

"What were you dreaming about? What upset you so much that involved me?" he asked suddenly.

"Bucharest," she said.

Michael paused. "I keep forgetting you were there. I can't imagine what you witnessed on that night. What happened in the dream?"

Ramona's eyes welled up with tears and her lip quivered. Michael's eyes widened and he immediately was at her side with his arms around her. She stood and wrapped her arms around him tightly and buried her face into his chest. She looked at his chest where he was shot in her dream and ran her hand over it lightly. "You were shot."

Michael tightened his hold on her. "But I wasn't, you know. I'm here now, aren't I?" he said with a smirk.

She smiled and moved away. Michael poked her nose and she scrunched it and shook her head. "Yea, you are."

"And that's not about to change," he poked her nose with every word he spoke and she grunted and grabbed his finger. He laughed at this because her hand could wrap around one of his fingers. "You're hands are so small."

Ramona snorted. "Maybe yours are too big. Ever think of that?" she shot back.

"Well," he shrugged. "You know what they say about men with big hands," he smirked.

Ramona's mouth dropped open. "Michael Joseph Jackson!"

Michael mocked her reaction. "Ramona Michelle Greene!" he smirked at her.

"I can't believe you would say that!" she shrieked.

Michael quirked an eyebrow and took a step back. "What? Don't you know what they say about men with big hands?"

Ramona shook her head. "I don't wanna hear it!"

"They also have big feet!" he yelled over her and lifted his big foot and pointed at it. "My lord, Ray, what did you think I was gonna say?" he asked. She blushed furiously and turned away. "Ramona! You perv!" he yelled and threw a nearby pillow at her.

She dodged it and stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh shut up and go get ready," she grumbled and pushed him out the door, him laughing the entire way. She closed the door behind him and leaned against it with her hand over her face. "Why me?" she asked out loud.

"Just lucky I guess!" she heard Michael say from the other side of the door. She smirked and hit the door over her head and heard him laugh before heading to the shower.

_Later…_

The 4 friends sat outside of Ramona's hotel room balcony eating breakfast and talking about their plans. Michael wore his black slacks and a bright red long sleeve shirt and wore his hair down. Ramona wore a grey turtleneck sweater and black pants. The girls wore long sleeve black shirts and blue jeans. All 4 wearing their fuzzy slippers as they enjoyed the view.

"Alright, so we need to do something special today," Saph said between bites.

"Like what?" Ramona asked.

"Like parties, dinner, dancing!" Jaz said with a smile.

Michael raised a brow at them. "Dancing?"

"You know we can't go out in public without causing a riot," Ramona said plainly.

"Oh yes we can, because today is special," Saph winked.

Jaz nodded. "Halloween means dressing up like someone else. We can pull it off!"

Michael and Ramona glanced at each other and then grinned. "Sounds like fun," Ramona said.

"Great! Now let's decide what to dress up as and Saph will look up where to go," Jaz said glancing at Saph. She nodded and stood with her plate and headed inside to start researching places to party in Manhattan.

"Any ideas what you want to go as, Jaz?" Ramona asked.

"Actually I kind of figured we could let Michael decide since he's the guest of honor tonight," she winked.

"Guest of honor?" he asked. "Alright, well I want something with a mask, just to be safe."

Ramona chewed her lip in thought. "What about Erik from the Phantom of the Opera?" she asked.

Jaz eyes lit up. "Yea! I know there are female costumes that would match his and you can both match and be masked!"

Michael smiled. "I love Phantom of the Opera. Sounds like fun," he grinned and Ramona nodded in agreement.

Saph came back shortly afterward. "Alright, there is a costume party at a club not too far from here tonight. We can go see a movie and go eat too. How does that sound?"

Ramona shrugged. "I don't know, costumes at the theater? Really?"

"Actually you would be surprised how many people walk around all day in the city on Halloween. No one would give us a second look," Michael noted.

"Alright, well where can we get costumes?" Ramona asked.

"Leave that to us," Saph said, nodding her head toward Jaz.

Ramona and Michael shared a look of concern before they slowly nodded. The girls took off soon after that and Frank came by the hotel to have a meeting with Michael. Ramona simply shrugged it off and hopped on her laptop when Derek closed the door to their conjoined rooms to talk privately. She looked through some of her emails and even worked on a new column while she waited. She stretched when she heard the girls finally come back and she stood and opened their conjoined door for them.

"We found some fun costumes!" Jaz squealed and then paused and looked around the room. "Where's the applehead?"

"He's in his room in a meeting. Has been for a while," Ramona shrugged. "What did you find?"

"Well, we didn't find any decent costumes for the Phantom of the Opera, but we did find something we can all do together," Saph beamed.

Ramona glanced at the bags in hand and raised a brow. "Like what?"

"We can't tell you until everyone is present," Jaz snorted.

"It's a surprise," Saph giggled.

"Everyone is present!" Michael shouted from behind the closed door. The girls looked at the door and raised a brow at Ramona and she shrugged. He flung the door open and poked his head around the corner, keeping the rest of his body hidden from view.

"What are you doing?" Ramona asked.

"I know what I'm gonna be for Halloween," he grinned. The girls sat down on the bed together and waited for him to continue. He smirked at them and then jumped fully into the doorway and held out his arms. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and his plaid pajama bottoms, but on the shirt he had written with a sharpie "GO CEILINGS". Michael beamed. "I'm a Ceiling fan!"

Ramona instantly started cracking up and the girls joined in after a moment. They didn't get the joke right away but Ramona had to wipe away tears from laughing. "That's pretty clever."

The girls laughed and agreed. "Where did you come up with that?"

Michael shrugged. "I get around. So where are the costumes? I need to see what I'm working with so I can get started on makeup."

The girls glanced at each other with a smirk. "Well now that everyone's here we can give away the surprise," Jaz smiled.

"We couldn't find Phantom of the Opera, but we did find something you're familiar with, Michael," Saph smiled and handed him the bag with his costume in it.

Michael quirked a brow and looked inside. He pulled out every piece of clothing before he finally pulled out a huge straw hat and a rather large pair of brown pants. Most of the clothing was brown, in fact. He pulled out a smaller bag of fake straw and his eyes widened. "The scarecrow? Are you kidding me?"

Ramona bit back a laugh until she was handed her bag. She pulled out a powder blue dress and red ruby slippers and her mouth dropped open. "Dorothy? Really?"

The girls laughed and nodded. "Michael knows how to be the scarecrow and I know you can pull of Dorothy with some practice," Jaz stated.

"What about you two?" Ramona asked.

"I'm going as the lion," Saph piped up with a big grin. "And Jaz is the tin man."

Derek strolled in moments later. "Hey, where's my part in this?" he pouted.

"We didn't leave you out," Jaz giggled and Saph threw him a bag with a large black dress and a witch hat. "You will be the wicked witch," she winked.

Derek's eyes widened and he scowled at them. Michael had to sit down he was laughing so hard. "Alright this will be fun. Let's get started on makeup!"

_Later…_

The group of 4 were now dressed as the gang from the Wizard of Oz. Derek refused to dress up as the wicked witch, but he did keep the hat and decided to name himself the wicked warlock. He stated it would be more fun that way. Michael did his makeup well enough not to be recognized too easily. He used brown makeup for his face and allowed the girls to put false eyelashes on him. He scowled at Saph when she pulled out a Reese's candy wrapper and attempted to place it on his nose. Ramona colored his nose a dark brown instead which made him smile.

The crew headed out to dinner and then went to the movie theater to watch Rush Hour with Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. Michael made sure to explain to them during the credits that he had called Chris while they were shooting and he spoke to Jackie on the phone. They laughed when that blooper came on screen and Ramona shook her head.

"You pissed off Jackie Chan? What's wrong with you?" she said sarcastically.

"Honestly I didn't mean to. I was just checking up on Chris while I was in town," Michael laughed.

Shortly after that, they headed to a dance club. Jaz and Saph had some light beer and Michael and Ramona drank a wine cooler. They watched people dance and Michael was tense at first, but after a while of no one noticing him, he loosened up.

"Do you remember prom when we danced to Nsync?" Jaz asked the girls.

"That was one hell of a night," Saph smiled.

Ramona nodded. "It was so much fun," she replied.

Jaz grinned. "Do you guys remember the routine?"

The girls glanced at each other and smiled. "Yes," they said in unison.

"What do you say we do it for old times sake?" she asked.

Saph nodded but Ramona shrunk back a bit, actually retreating back into Michael's side. Michael smiled at her and wrapped his arm around her. "Oh come on, babygirl, you know you want to," he winked.

"It's been a long time…" she said quietly.

"Do it for Michael," Saph winked.

"Yeah, do it for Michael," Michael pouted and Ramona rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she said.

Jaz went up to the DJ and then came back to the table with a smile. "Our song will be up shortly."

Ramona felt herself grow nervous when a new song began to play. It wasn't their song, but it was a familiar song, no less. Blood on the Dance Floor began to play and Michael grinned and stood up, holding his hand out for Ramona. She smiled and took his hand, and together they danced across the floor as if they were ballroom dancing. A few people stopped to watch the show, but no one made the assumption who this scarecrow really was.

Near the middle of the song, Ramona looked over at the girls and saw them smiling and she smiled back. "Let them have a dance with you before you leave," she whispered in his ear.

"Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded and they danced over to the table. Michael twirled Ramona away from him and she landed in her seat with a smile. With one swift motion, Michael grabbed Saph by the hand and twirled her into him. She froze in shock but then went with it and before the song ended, he had done the same for Jaz.

Ramona was laughing and clapping when the song ended and the girls jumped up when their song began. Michael quirked a brow when he heard the music.

"Dirty Pop!" the words rang out and the girls took their position on the dance floor. They popped their bodies in the beginning beats and caused everyone's attention to draw to them. Michael stood in the front of the crowd and watched in fascination as they owned the dance floor once again. They copied the routine from Nsync's music video and even sang parts of the song. Ramona smiled brightly through the entire song and nailed every move. Near the end of the song, Michael had caught on to the dance and joined in next to Ramona. He copied their moves but made sure to tone it down so no one would realize who he was.

When the song ended, they posed together and people around them clapped and cheered. They returned to their table all smiles and excitement.

"What a rush!" Jaz said.

"I can't believe we remembered the moves after all this time," Saph agreed.

After a while, they left the club and headed back to the hotel. It was getting close to sunset and the girls decided to head back home early. They all went into their separate rooms and took off the makeup and costumes and after showering, Michael and Ramona took the girls to the airport. Michael drove his Rolls Royce, which surprised the girls. It didn't bother Michael to drive it. He had tinted windows so no one could see who was inside.

After bidding the girls farewell and promising to call them when Ramona got back to California, Michael drove Ramona in the opposite direction of the hotel. They drove to a part of the city that held little people and Michael wanted to take a walk with Ramona without causing a scene. Michael parked and buttoned his trench coat and held his hand out to Ramona.

"Where are we?" she asked as she stepped out. She pulled the collar of her coat against her neck and looked around.

"This is what I like to call Old New York. This part of the city is very old and not many people come around here this time of the year," he smiled. He took her hand and together they walked down the sidewalk. Ramona took note of the old light poles on the side of the street. They looked just like the ones from the set of his Billie Jean video.

She leaned against one of the light poles and sighed at the sight. It was quiet and beautiful. "I love it here. It's peaceful," she said quietly. When Michael didn't respond, she turned to look at him. His face was filled with sadness. He stood on the other side of the light pole with his hands on his pockets and looked down at his feet. Ramona looked at him with sad eyes and wrapped her arm around the pole, leaning closer to him. "What is it?"

Michael bit his lip and still looked to his feet. "Ramona…I have this longing feeling that I can't understand…" he said carefully.

Ramona took a step closer to him, trying to get him to look at her when a photo was snapped. "Oh that was a good one!" a short little man holding an old camera yelped.

"Hey!" Ramona snapped at him and Michael looked upset. The man began to run away and Ramona narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't think so!" she yelled and chased after him. The man tripped and fell over a crack in the sidewalk and Ramona stood over him.

"Don't hurt me! I was just trying to get some money for my family…" he said nervously holding up his hands.

Ramona studied him for a moment. She looked up and saw a small woman and a child peaking around the corner from an alleyway. Her eyes grew sad for a moment and she looked back at Michael. He had the same look on his face and he walked up to the man and helped him up. Ramona picked up the old fashioned camera and took the already printed photo out of it and handed the camera back to the man.

"Deceiving people isn't the way to gain money," she said.

"I'm sorry," the little man looked down at his feet.

"Here," Michael reached in his coat and pulled out an envelope full of cash. He placed it in the man's hand and put his other hand over it. "This will give you and your family a warm place to go to and some decent food. Take care of the child first, though."

The man's eyes welled with tears and he hugged Ramona and Michael tightly. "God bless you both!" he yelled and then ran to his family to show them the money. The woman began to weep and she bowed in respect. The child smiled and waved at Ramona and Michael and they smiled and waved back before getting back into his car.

They rode in silence to a small field on the outskirts of the city just as the sun began to set. Michael parked the car and leaned his seat back, staring at the sunset before them. "Just like old times, huh?"

Ramona smiled and looked down. "Yea," she said quietly. She was beginning to feel great sadness in her heart. She knew Michael would be leaving very soon out of the country. She began to plan out what she would do to occupy her time until he came back. Michael glanced at her and saw the sad look in her eyes. He held the same sadness she did. He was worried about being so far from her. She was still very fragile and in the back of his mind, he felt like he was abandoning her.

Michael smiled weakly for a moment and pulled out a digital camera. He toyed with the buttons and put a timer on it and then leaned back. "Hey, come here," he said. Ramona looked at him curiously and then scooted closer to him. He wrapped his arm around her and buried his fingers into her hair. She sighed and lay her head on his shoulder, still watching the sunset. He kissed her forehead and then rested his head on hers, and looked out at the sunset as well. The camera's timer went off and it snapped a picture.

"What was that for?" she asked, unmoving.

"Something to keep us both warm in each other's absence," he said quietly. Ramona looked up at him with glazed eyes and he smirked and kissed her lightly. She looked down for a moment and he snickered. "It was a friendly kiss, babygirl. If it makes you uncomfortable…"

"Friendly kisses are better than no kiss at all," she interrupted him with a shy smile. He smiled and pecked her lips once more before she lay her head back down on his shoulder.

"I'm always with you, Ramona. No matter what," he said.

A few hours later, Michael bid his goodbye to Ramona at the airport. Ramona was to drive the Royce back to California with Derek while he flew to Japan for a variety of charity concerts. Ramona forced herself not to cry as she hugged him for the 5th time.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do without you," she sighed against his chest.

"We will both manage. Besides," he paused and stepped back and placed his hand under her chin and tilted her head up to look at him. "I have faith in you," he smiled and poked the tip of her nose.

"I have faith in you, too," she replied.

Michael winked at her and then glanced at Derek who stood behind her. He shook his hand and gave him a brief hug. "You take care, man. Be safe," Derek said.

"I will. You do the same," he smiled and then grabbed his arm. "And take care of my babygirl or I will take you out," Michael warned playfully.

Ramona giggled and Michael glanced back at her and winked before finally climbing into the private jet. She sighed as he took off and then slowly climbed into the driver seat of the Royce. She grinned when she started it and Derek quirked a brow at her.

"What?" he asked.

"I've never driven a classy car like this before," she admitted quietly.

He snickered and turned on the music as they began their journey back to California. Michael had told Ramona he would be back before Thanksgiving, or that was the plan anyway. Less than a month, she could deal with that, she decided. All she had to do was throw herself deeper into her work and Michael would be back before she knew it. Her cell phone began to ring suddenly and it startled her. Derek turned the music down to answer it for her since they were now on the highway.

"Hello?...Yeah, she's here, hang on…" Derek placed the phone up to Ramona's ear and she gave him a look. "It's just tomcat," he teased. "I'll hold the phone, you drive. Just don't kill us," he teased. Ramona stuck her tongue out at him and answered.

"Hey, what's up tomcat?"

"Well, I'm on the plane and I miss you already," he said sweetly.

Ramona blushed. "I miss you too, tomcat."

"And please take care of my Royce for me," he pleaded and she chuckled. "And one more thing before I let you go. I know you're driving and I don't want you to wreck," he giggled.

"Oh? Are you questioning my driving skills, Mr. Jackson?" she taunted.

"Not at all, Ms. Greene," he replied with a chuckle. "But I forgot to tell you I love you and I will call you as often as I can while I'm away."

Ramona blushed again and bit her lip. "Love you more, tomcat. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Just promise me you will take care of yourself. Don't go off on a fasting diet. You're not on tour, you know."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Yes mom," he teased. Ramona snorted and he laughed. "Okay okay, I promise. I'll talk to you soon!"

"Alright, bye tomcat," she said.

"Bye babygirl," he winked and hung up.

Derek hung up the phone for her and she pulled the photo the man had taken earlier that day out of her purse. She placed it on the dash in front of her and smiled warmly. This would be a long few weeks for sure, but she knew she would get through it. Her scar burned and she winced, knowing she didn't have to hide anything from Derek.

"Still hurting?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yea, maybe now that he's away I can commit to seeing a doctor so I can figure out what's going on," she thought out loud. "For now, let's just get back home without falling asleep at the wheel," she grinned. "You're job is to keep me awake," she eyed Derek.

"Can do," he winked and cranked up the stereo system. Ramona laughed as Derek began his poor dance skills and she danced right along with him. Now she knew she would be alright having friends like Derek and the girls around.


	19. Chapter 19

Luke was driving down a road a few miles away from Neverland. It was storming violently outside and he could barely see the road in front of him from the heavy downpour. He was lost in thought over all the pressure he had weighing on him at the moment. Charlie gave him a new assignment based on a new movie premiere as well as Lindsey Lohan's bulimic rumor and he was running very short on time. His stories for the LA Times were on time since he began working there, but only barely. Charlie wasn't happy about it and he made it known that if Luke was late on this story he would be fired on the spot.

He had flashbacks of his little argument with Charlie and then again with his argument over the phone with Lisa. She told him if he lost his job, it was over. She had many things hanging over his head and she could destroy his life in a second if she had wanted to.

Just then, a shadowed figure in a hoodie came into view and he swerved at the last moment to avoid hitting the person. He skidded sideways into a ditch and flipped his truck upside down and landed harshly against a metal gate.

"Oh my…are you okay?" he heard a voice call. He shook his head and dragged himself out of the now broken window of his truck and stood to his feet. He sighed and turned toward the voice and his eyes grew wide in a panic.

"Ramona? What are you doing out here in the rain? I almost hit you!" he yelled. He shook for a moment before embracing her tightly.

"Woa, hey…come on, Luke!" she gasped and pushed him away gently. "You didn't hit me. I heard you coming and I dodged you just fine. Relax!" she said while patting his shoulders.

He shook his head again and leaned against his truck. "You're not hurt, are you?" he said in a low voice.

Ramona almost missed it over the loud thunder and rain. "I'm fine. I'm sorry about your truck, though," she sighed sadly. She felt horrible. "Come on, my car isn't far away. I'll give you a lift."

He nodded and they walked the short distance to an abandoned parking lot and climbed into her car. Luke glanced at her as she started the engine and pulled her hood off, letting her wet hair fall past her shoulders. Little strands of curls framed her face and he suddenly felt warm next to her.

"Are you cold?" she asked, reaching for the heater.

He shook his head. "I'll be fine. What are you doing out here in the middle of a storm?"

She shrugged. "I needed a good run. The storm kind of snuck up on me."

"I see," he said quietly. Ramona turned out of the parking lot. Luke gave her directions to his house and then turned on her stereo to ease the sudden tension in the car. Ramona instantly relaxed her shoulders when Stranger in Moscow began to play. "I like this song," Luke whispered as he stared out the passenger window.

Ramona glanced at him through the corner of her eye. He seemed to be very troubled about something. "So, I know men are supposed to have 20/20 vision even at night. How is it you didn't see me that well?"

"I wasn't completely focused on the road," he said plainly.

Ramona nodded and paused in thought. After a few moments of silence, she bit her lip. "Penny for your thought?" she asked.

"Huh?" he asked, looking at her. She glanced down at his hands and he followed her gaze to his hands that were now absentmindedly scrunching the ends of his shirt up in balled fists. "Oh, I don't know. There's a lot going on at work these days."

Ramona blinked. "Like what?"

Luke hesitated but then he went into the story of his conversation with Charlie and what was expected of him. Ramona listened intently and nodded, letting him know she was paying attention. "And so now if I don't get this story turned in soon, I will lose my job."

"That doesn't sound very Charlie-like," she pondered out loud.

"I know. It doesn't make any sense," he sighed as they pulled up in front of his house. "This is it. Thanks for the ride, Ray."

She nodded. "I'm sorry about everything, Luke. If there's any way I can help," she handed him a piece of paper with her number on it. "Call me. I will do what I can to help."

He nodded and then kissed her cheek quickly before jumping out of the car and running through the downpour into his house. Ramona watched to make sure he got inside and then made her way back home, all the while contemplating everything Luke had just told her.

Once Ramona got home, she climbed out of her car and walked slowly through the rain. She was already soaked enough as it was, so she didn't feel the need to run. She shuffled her feet up the curved sidewalk that connected her driveway from her front porch. She stopped about halfway to her front door and glanced at Neverland just a few yards away. The lights of the gates were lit dimly, but the only lights she could see other than that was from the guest portion of the house and the small building by the front gate.

She sighed and blinked as she felt her eyes burn with tears. "Why am I so sad all of the sudden?" she asked herself. She shook her head and turned back to her porch. When she stepped under the protection of the awning, she noticed a rather large flat package leaning up against the wall by the door. She glanced at the address and it had her name written on it with a Japanese stamp on it. She smirked and shook her head once more. "Michael…when will you ever stop?"

She unlocked her door and dragged the package inside. She lay it up against her wall in the bedroom and changed her clothes. Once she had pulled up her hair in a ponytail and changed into some loose pajama pants and a sports bra, she tore the package open. A note fell out first and she opened it.

_Hey, Ray!_

_I hope all is well with you so far! Mike and I have been having so much fun in Japan. The children love him, as always. I snapped this photo of him after a little girl kissed him on the cheek and told him how much she loved him. I knew you would enjoy the way his face light up when he gets around kids, so I took the opportunity of blowing it up and framing it for you. Just don't tell Mike. He doesn't know about this yet. He only thinks I'm writing you a simple letter and he said he will send his own when he got the chance. He sends his love and so do I. We miss you! See you soon, chica!_

_Love, Derek_

Ramona grinned and folded the note, placing it on her bedside table. She opened the package fully and flipped the framed portrait over to see the image. It was a perfect angle of her best friend and her heart instantly warmed at the sight. She had never seen his eyes so lit up before. He was wearing his military red button up shirt with his hair down and there were children in the background, all smiling at him as if he had hung the moon. He had the biggest smile on his face and Ramona couldn't help but smile. She bit her lip and then looked around her room for a moment. When her eyes landed on an empty space on the wall above her bed, she blushed a little.

"Well, at least in here he wouldn't see it right away," she told herself. She got up and measured everything and finally nailed the portrait onto the wall. She stepped back to check her work and blushed once again. He looked almost as if he were smiling down at her bed. "I guess I have myself a guardian angel, after all."

She yawned and glanced at the clock before sliding into bed. She flipped on her back and looked up at the portrait once more, and sure enough, he was looking down on her like the angel he was. Her eyes drifted closed and she slowly fell asleep.

_The next day…_

Ramona chewed on her bottom lip as she sat at her dining room table with her laptop computer in front of her. She paused a moment in thought and then typed some more, finally finishing 3 different projects all in one day. She smiled and saved her work and stretched.

"That's one obstacle down…" she glanced at the clock and saw that it was early evening. She picked up her phone and made a quick call.

_Later…_

"Girl, you are on fire today!" Tasha mused as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Ramona had come to dance with Tasha at the studio and they had been going at it for almost 2 hours. Tasha had to admit she was exhausted, but Ramona wanted to keep going.

"Come on, give me another song." Ramona panted.

Tasha stared at her like she had lost her mind. She was literally dripping in sweat. Her black tights were dripping, and her sports top was clinging to her. The sweat was beading up and dripping down her toned stomach and even her hair dripped on the floor. "You are asking for an accident," Tasha pointed toward the wet floor. "Take a break already," she smiled and threw Ramona a towel.

Ramona laughed and caught the towel and dried herself, then she turned her attention to the floor she had soaked. "I didn't realize I sweat so much."

"It's alright, as long as you stay hydrated," she smiled. "What's up with you today? I haven't seen you this focused before."

Ramona sat on her knees as she wiped the floor. "I don't know. I just have a lot on my mind, I guess," she said quietly.

"Missing your bestie, are ya?" she teased.

"Maybe. I did have an interesting dream last night," Ramona said. She sat back against the mirror and rested her arm on her bent knee and took a long drink of her water.

"Oh?" Tasha raised an eyebrow and then stood up and walked over next to Ramona and sat next to her, leaning against the mirror. "Dreams are so fascinating to me. They tell you things that you didn't know that rests in the very bottom of your soul. Tell me, what was it about?"

Ramona blinked and then looked away. "I don't know about that…"

"Come on, you can tell me. I am a good secret keeper," she winked and Ramona nodded and smiled.

"Well…"

_Ramona was standing by the window, watching all of the people carrying around camera equipment and setting up props. It was kind of exciting to watch. She loved watching how things were done._

"_Like what you see?" Michael's voice came from behind her._

"_Hm?" she turned to look at him. He was dressed for the Speed Demon video and his wardrobe man was putting the finishing touches on him. "Oh, yeah I guess so. It's all so exciting," she smiled as she glanced back out the window._

"_I suppose it is," he said quietly while smiling at her._

_She glanced back at him and smirked, catching sight of a small video camera next to him. She reached around and snagged it and flipped it open. "Alright, let's get us a behind the scenes moment with the King," she teased._

"_You sure you know how to work that thing?" he asked._

"_Yep, it's recording now," she said as she hit the button. "And here we have the great Michael Jackson getting ready for his music video," she said with an announced voice._

_Michael gave her a weird look and began throwing popcorn at her. "Yeah, real convincing voice," he teased._

"_I thought I was doing an okay job, sheesh," she stuck her tongue out at him._

"_Do you have the zoom button figured out?" he asked._

"_Yes! Geeze, tomcat, you're just dying to tell me how to work something, aren't you?"_

_He smirked. "Well, it's what I do," he grinned and she gave him a look._

_The man next to him murmured a few things and slipped on his gloves for him. After helping him slip on his gloves, he reached for the jacket. "Um, no, it's okay, I would rather Ramona help me finish up here, if you don't mind."_

_Ramona blushed and the man nodded and left them alone. She glanced at him through the lens. "So, since when do you need help putting on a jacket?" she taunted him._

_He gave her a look and strolled up to the camera. She opened her closed eye and looked up at him. He smiled weakly and put his hand on the camera and slowly moved it down. She looked at her hand and then back into his eyes. This was a look she wasn't familiar with. What was going through his mind?_

"_Tell me what happened in Bucharest," he whispered._

"_Wh…what do you mean?" she stuttered and he smiled and shook his head. He reached up and placed his hand on her scarred shoulder. He slowly pushed the clothing aside and revealed the scar. She looked at the scar and then winced when his fingertips grazed the skin. She looked up at him with glossy eyes. "I…"_

"_You…" he smiled and winked. "You saved my life," he whispered and then leaned down, kissing her passionately. She froze momentarily and then relaxed in his embrace. She felt his tongue glide across her bottom lip and she panted, allowing his tongue to slip through. She moaned into the kiss and he clenched the sleeves of her shirt and pushed her against the side of the trailer. He stepped away for a brief moment and swiped his hand across the countertop, causing everything that was on top to tumble to the floor. He grabbed Ramona and placed her on top of the counter and placed himself in between her legs. He ripped her shirt open and kissed her bare skin, and when his lips touched the scar, she began to burn._

"_S…stop!" she winced. He jumped and backed away. She placed her hand over the scar and began breathing deeply._

"_Why?" he whispered. "Why did you do that?"_

_She glanced at him and she was suddenly back on stage with him in Bucharest. She looked at her hand and found it covered in blood. "Because…I love you," she panted and then fell into a puddle of her own blood._

Ramona jumped awake in a panic. She placed her hand over her heart, hoping to calm her rapid heart beat.

_Back in the studio…_

"And I haven't slept since then," Ramona finished her story.

Tasha blinked. "Wow, I am speechless."

Ramona shrugged. "I know what the last part means, but why on earth would I have a steamy dream about my best friend?"

"Well, is that how you feel about him?" Tasha asked.

"N…NO!" she shuddered. "It's impossible. It can't happen, even if I wanted that. He has Lisa," she paused. "Besides, every female must have at least one steamy fantasy about being with Michael Jackson, right?" she asked. Tasha looked away for a moment. "Right?" Ramona asked again.

"I can't really say I have, but perhaps that's because I see him like a brother," Tasha said in a whisper.

The 2 girls sat in silence for a moment before Ramona stood suddenly. "Well, I better go. I need to finish up a few things before work tomorrow. Thanks for the dance, Tasha. I'll call you tomorrow."

Tasha paused at her nervousness and then smiled and hugged her tightly. "I understand. And hey, don't worry about the Bucharest thing. Your secret is safe with me," she smiled.

"Thanks," Ramona grabbed her jacket and zipped it up before leaving.

_The next day…_

Luke was shuffling through his desk, looking for his 2 stories. He was running short on time and he was in a panic. Charlie walked by his desk and glanced at him and Luke straightened up right away, trying to prove he was professional and had everything in order. When Charlie walked into his office and out of view, Luke sighed deeply. He was convinced this would be his last day at the LA Times.

"Good morning, tiger," Ramona smiled as she walked from her office past Luke's desk.

"Morning," he mumbled.

"Hey, don't worry. I got you," she winked and patted his head. He looked at her strangely as she walked into Charlie's office with 3 separate folders. She plopped them down on his desk one by one. "Alright, boss, here's my story on the awards show. And this one is Luke's story on Lohan, and his story on the movie premiere."

"Oh, he finished?" he asked and glanced through the stories. "Good, oh before you go, I need to talk to you about something…" he said. Ramona nodded and closed the door behind her and sat down.

Luke tapped his fingers waiting for Ramona to come back out. About a half hour later, she emerged with a worried look on her face.

"Ramona? What's up?" he asked.

"Come to my office," she said quietly and headed to her office. He jumped up and Charlie walked out.

"Luke, my boy! Good job on those stories! Very impressive! Keep up the good work, man!" Charlie slapped him on the back and Luke stumbled a bit with a grunt and then nodded.

"Uh, sure thing boss," he smiled at Charlie and then headed for Ramona's office. Once he closed the door he sighed. "Why did you do that?"

"What?" she asked, sitting down at her desk with a sigh.

"You finished my stories for me…why?" he asked. "I mean you didn't have to…"

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to," she said simply.

"Oh…kay? Well thank you…" he said as he slowly slid down onto her couch. "What's wrong?"

"Charlie…he's leaving us…"

_Later…_

"Ramona, can I ask you something?" Luke asked her once they got on the elevator to head home for the day.

"Sure, what's up?" she asked.

"Friday night, what are your plans?" he asked.

Ramona paused. "Uhm…"

"Come on, I know you have to have some kind of feelings for me or you wouldn't have done what you did for me today. What do you say? Just have dinner with me, please?" he asked.

"Uh…" she hesitated as the doors opened. "Let me think about it and I'll get back to you, okay?"

Luke sighed. "I'll call you tonight, then," he said and walked away.

Ramona shook her head and headed to her car. Could she really move on from her bad past with men and give Luke a chance? He seemed like a nice enough guy. Maybe if she actually had a boyfriend, she could have less focus on that insanely steamy dream she had about Michael.

Many thoughts ran through her head as she drove home. She walked in the front door and slipped off her shoes. She walked into the kitchen and put her keys and purse down and leaned against the counter. What was she supposed to do?

Suddenly her phone rang to life and made her jump. She looked at the caller ID and it read unknown. She picked it up expecting it to be a telemarketer. "Sorry, I'm not interested in whatever it is you're selling…"

"That's funny, I could've sworn you liked my music," Michael chuckled from the other line.

"Michael! Hey tomcat! How are you?" she said with a huge smile on her face.

"I can't complain. How are you, babygirl?"

She blushed. "I'm alright. Enjoying Japan?"

"Very much. What have you been up to lately?" he asked.

"Dancing and working, pretty much. Nothing special," she said with a shrug.

"Since when is dancing nothing special?" he said, sounding almost hurt.

"Since I'm the one doing it," she giggled and it made him smile. "I don't know what it is about me lately, but I just can't seem to stop dancing. If I hear any kind of rhythm, I just lose my mind and my feet begin to move."

"Sounds familiar," he chuckled.

"I'll bet…" she paused in thought. "Hey, Mike, do you know if it's normal to sweat profusely while dancing?"

"Define profusely," he said.

Ramona rolled her eyes. "I'm talking about just walked out of the shower, profusely," she said with a blush.

"Oh, yes it is, for me anyway. I usually have to have guys come out and dry the stage in between each song. Have you seen a doctor about it?" he asked.

"No, should I?" she asked nervously.

"If it becomes a problem for you, I would say so. If it doesn't bother you that much, just drink more water than usual and you should be fine," he smiled into the phone. He heard Ramona breathe in deep and hold it a few seconds before letting it out. "What's bothering my babygirl?"

"Nothing," she said almost too quickly.

"I know you miss your tomcat, but come on, I know when something is bothering my babygirl. Now spill it," he said sternly.

Ramona sighed. "Luke asked me out and Charlie is leaving the company," she almost squeaked out.

"Pardon? Since when is Charlie leaving?" he asked.

"I don't know, he just told me today. This will be his last week and then after Thanksgiving, a new man will be taking his place," Ramona said sadly.

"Oh, I see. Don't let that bother you too much, I'm sure he will stay in touch," he paused. "Now about Luke, do you like him?"

"I…I don't know, I mean…he's okay. He's a nice guy and he would serve as a good distraction…"

"Raybug…don't you dare use him as a distraction. That's what dancing is for. If you like him, then give him a try. One date wouldn't hurt. Let your guard down just a little and allow yourself to get to know him better. If you decide he's worth being around, then go for it, but you will never know until you try, believe me."

Ramona thought for a moment and then smiled. "You're right. Thanks, tomcat."

"I know I'm right," he grinned. "Oh, I better go. We just arrived at the children's burn center," he said.

Ramona's eyes pricked with tears. "Children's burn center? I don't know how you do it, Mike. That hurts my heart just thinking about a child in pain," she said sadly.

"Yeah, but seeing their eyes light up when you bring them a gift makes it all worth it," he said. "Oh, by the way, I will be home for Thanksgiving. Should actually be a few days before in fact, and we are having dinner at the ranch. You should join us," he smiled. "Uh oh, gotta go. Love you babygirl!"

Ramona paused and then smiled. "Love you more, tomcat."

"Nu uh! Love you most!" he giggled. "Bye!" he hung up and Ramona shook her head.

A few hours later, Ramona was showered and ready for bed. She was sitting on the couch eating a bowl of ice cream when Luke finally called and asked her for an answer. He half expected her to tell him she needed more time, but she actually agreed to the date.

As the next couple of weeks went by, Ramona was becoming more and more excited about Michael coming home. Charlie moved on to his new job and the new boss hadn't seemed too awful yet. He did like to call Ramona in more than she was used to, and she felt a bit overworked. She and Luke had become official within the 2nd week and they were becoming inseparable. He was actually planning to join her and the Jackson family for Thanksgiving.

When Ramona needed a distraction, she found herself dancing. When Tasha wasn't available, Ramona would make due dancing in her own living room. Luke almost seemed annoyed by her dancing within about a week of her doing it. He would come over and she would cook dinner for them, but while cooking, she would dance at the stove. When it would rain, she would drop everything and run outside just to dance in it. She was becoming a slave to that music of hers.

Thanksgiving eve arrived finally and Ramona found herself walking alone in town. She glanced around and saw children playing near the street. They were playing with a big aired up ball and giggling happily and it made her smile. Within moments, the ball got away from them and a car hit it and popped it. The children began to cry and Ramona ran over to them. They had their back to her and they were saying "don't tell mommy" and "that was our only toy" and then "mommy has no money for another one".

Ramona sighed and glanced at a toy store nearby. "Wait right here," she said as she touched them on their heads. She ran across the street and soon returned with a box full of new toys for them. "There's plenty for each of you here, just make sure you share, alright?" she said as she placed the box down.

The kids eyes lit up and they squealed with joy and hugged her. "Thank you miss!"

Ramona's eyes welled with tears as they ran off to play with their new toys. It was so amazing how good it felt. "Feels wonderful, doesn't it?" a voice said behind her.

She spun around to see Michael hidden under his fedora and dark sunglasses. "Finally!" she yelled and jumped into his arms. "Welcome home, tomcat. God, I've missed you!" she mumbled into his chest.

"I've missed you more, babygirl," he whispered into her hair. "So much!"


	20. Chapter 20

Ramona finally let go of Michael after a few moments of embracing him. She hadn't realized just how much she had missed him until now. She breathed in his cologne while she held him, and now her hair and shirt smelled like him. She loved that man smell on her, even if it wasn't Michael's, but the fact that it was his made her stomach flutter with butterflies.

"I like it when you smile like that. You should do it more often," Michael smiled and touched the tip of her nose.

"Yeah? Same to you," she winked and he grinned. "Thank you for keeping your promise."

Michael blinked. "What promise?"

Ramona rolled her eyes and nudged his shoulder. "You came back in one piece like you promised. Thank you," she smiled.

He grinned. "Yea, well it's what I do."

Ramona felt a tinge of déjà vu for a moment and she bit her lips and looked down.

"Ramona?" Michael asked.

"Yo!" they turned to Tasha yelling down the street. "Come on, Ray! You're late!"

"Oh, alright I'm coming!" she yelled back and Tasha grinned and ran inside the studio.

"Late for what?" Michael asked, looking over Ramona's shoulder at the studio.

"Dance class. I've been helping her teach some underprivileged kids how to dance," she blushed.

"I see. Hm, well then let's go," he said. Ramona gave him a funny look. "What? I have nothing better to do today and I would like to hang with my bestie for a while. Besides, when are you going to show me all this hard work of yours you kept telling me about on the phone?" She blushed and scratched the back of her head. Michael giggled and grabbed her hand. "Let's go!"

She nodded and they both ran to the studio like a couple of kids. When they walked in, Tasha had the class already in position and she stood at the front of the class. She smiled when Ramona walked in but then paused when Michael walked in behind her, still hiding behind his hat and shades. She moved on over toward them and smiled at Ramona.

"About time you got here," she nudged her and then looked at Michael. He was studying her for the longest time before she narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to him and taking off his glasses. She stared into his eyes for a moment and he smiled nervously, not sure what she would do. She opened her mouth to speak but then frowned and smacked him on the shoulder.

"Okay…ow?" he said.

"Where the hell have you been mister?" she asked angrily.

He raised a brow and smacked her shoulder and she winced. "Don't use bad language in front of these kids. And I have been everywhere!"

She smacked him back. "And you didn't think to call me after all these years?"

Michael smacked her again. "I have no idea who…" Michael paused and then took a step back when she moved a hair behind her ear angrily, showing her face fully to him and staring up at him with those familiar big brown eyes of hers. "Tash?" he asked.

"Well duh!" she yelled and smacked him again. "How could you, egghead! I haven't heard from you since you went on the HIStory tour!"

He smacked her back again. "Don't call me that in public! And it wasn't my fault!"

"Liar!" she yelled and hit him again. Michael scrunched his face and smacked her back. They went back and forth slapping each other and Ramona and the kids stood back in shock. Ramona seemed rather bored with it however, but the kids were just shocked to see Michael Jackson coming in to their studio and now having a slap war with their dance instructor.

"Am not!" he yelled and slapped her again.

"Are too!" she retorted with another slap.

Ramona cleared her throat and stepped closer to them. They ignored her and continued to argue until she grabbed both of their hands to stop them from slapping each other. They both paused and Ramona pulled them closer together and they immediately embraced each other. Tasha sighed and Michael smiled as he lay his cheek on the top of her head.

"I'm sorry. I just missed you," Tasha said.

"I'm sorry too," he said.

"Alright," she pushed away after hearing a kid clear his throat. "We will talk later but right now I have a class to teach. Ray, are you set?" she asked Ramona.

Ramona nodded and unzipped her jacket, letting it fall to the floor. Michael's eyes widened at her outfit. She was wearing her black tights and a top that was cut like a t-shirt but it ended about an inch below her breasts, showing off her toned stomach. Michael hadn't seen this much skin on her before and he felt himself begin to blush.

"So, as you all are aware, we have us a special guest with us today. Class will continue as usual of course, but if Michael would like to step in and show us a thing or two, he is more than welcome," she smirked his way and he nodded, taking off his jacket and sitting down on the floor on the other side of the room.

"Pardon me, miss Tasha, but weren't you just fighting with him a few seconds ago?" a girl asked.

"Yea, about that, Michael Jackson and I have a history. I grew up around his family in Gary, Indiana. They took me in when my parents were killed. I don't want to get to into that, but Michael has always been like a brother to me and we lost touch after he got big, so I took out my frustrations on him like a sister does to her brother and now we're over it, okay? So…let's get to it!" she said rather quickly and then slapped on the stereo.

Ramona and Tasha stood in front of the group and went through some choreography to different dances and different songs and the students followed. Michael watched in fascination. He was used to being surrounded and all attention on him, but this time, the kids paid him no mind. They were focused on the girls in front, following every step. Ramona made a move while standing up on the tips of her toes and moving around in a circle, and then she attempted to spin but lost her balance. Michael jumped up and caught her before she fell.

"Didn't I tell you to take it easy?" he teased and she rolled her eyes and moved away from him.

"Yea, thanks," she smiled.

"Good catch, Mr. Jackson," a young man said. "How do you move so fast like that?"

Michael smiled. "Practice. And please, call me Michael."

The girls smiled along with the kids and invited Michael to show them a few of his own moves. The kids adored their time with him and the girls just stood by and watched. Tasha grinned when he tried to teach the Moonwalk and they couldn't quite figure it out. She stood beside Michael and moonwalked right next to him and Ramona leaned against the mirror and smiled. She watched Tasha and Michael dance and play around together like a brother and sister would. It was really a beautiful sight.

Pretty soon the kids had to leave for the day and Michael promised he would drop by again and keep in touch as best as he could. They all thanked him for his time and hugged him before leaving. As Michael and Tasha came back from walking the kids out, they found Ramona stretching in the middle of the room.

"So, do I get to see your moves now?" Michael asked with a grin.

Ramona looked over her shoulder. "What? Oh, no I was just finishing up. I'm kind of tired," she lied.

Michael looked at Tasha and Tasha smiled at him and then shook her head. "Watch this," she whispered. "Come on, Ray, you know you want to show off some of your new stuff."

"Not really."

Tasha rolled her eyes. "It would take your mind off that dream, you know."

Ramona's head shot up and she glared at Tasha's reflection in the mirror. "Uh…"

"What dream?" Michael asked as he moved over next to the stereo and sat on the chair. He turned the chair around and sat backwards on it, leaning his elbows on the back of the chair and laying his chin down on his arms.

"Well…I…um…" Ramona stuttered.

"Well?" he asked, tapping his foot.

Ramona eyed Tasha and Tasha grinned and slammed her hand down on the radio. Scream louder came on and Michael quirked an eyebrow. "Come on, Ramona."

"That's not fair," Ramona pouted as she stood up.

"Face it girl, you are a slave to the rhythm and you can't fight it," Tasha grinned.

Ramona began to retort, but her feet started moving without her. Michael chewed on his lip in curiosity. He wanted to know more about this dream that she seemed so embarrassed about and he was determined to figure it out. For now, he watched Ramona move.

She seemed to lose herself in the music. She slid across the floor as if she was walking on water. She threw her body down, face first, and twisted her body backward like an acrobat and balanced her legs right above her head, putting her weight on her arms. Michael was entranced. A new song came on and he began tapping his own feet. Rihanna's Pin de Replay came on and Ramona began dancing in a new fashion. Michael couldn't stand it anymore. He jumped up, pulled his hair in a ponytail, and slid into the middle of the floor. Ramona made a stance and Michael slid right in and wrapped his arm around her waist and grabbed her hand with his, twirling her around and began a swing dance.

He moved with her and she smiled and followed him. They moved their legs together like he had done in Smooth Criminal, and he spun her around and cornered her against the far wall. "Tell me about your dream," he whispered almost seductively in her ear.

"There's nothing to tell," she said and pushed him off. She began dancing away from him and he followed her around the room. Pretty soon, the song was switched by Tasha to The Way You Make Me Feel. 'Ironic' Ramona thought. Michael grinned and began chasing her around the studio.

He cornered her against another wall and she looked at him frustratingly. "It can't be that bad of a dream, babygirl. Why wont you tell me?"

She frowned at him. "Why wont you let this go?" she pushed him away again and he pulled her against him in the middle of the room and danced rather intensily with her. She loved every second of it. This was a dance she always wanted to try, but she never had the chance.

"Um, guys?" Tasha said over the music.

They ignored her and continued their dance. "Tell me," Michael demanded, pulling her tightly against his chest.

"No!" she yelled and spun away from him, only to be pulled back to him. They danced back into the middle of the floor and spun again.

"Guys!" Tasha yelled.

Just as her voice reached their ears, Ramona's feet made contact with a puddle of sweat and she lost her footing. Michael tried to grab her, but instead he went down with her. She landed on her back and he landed over the top of her. One of his hands instantly flew behind her head so she wouldn't bust her head on the hard floor, and his other hand kept his weight off of her.

"You alright?" he panted.

Ramona panted and nodded. "I'll live."

They sat there for a few minutes, both dripping with sweat. "Why is it so hard for you to tell me about this dream? We are best friends, aren't we?" Michael asked.

Ramona glared at him for a moment before pushing him aside. "Will you just stop?" she asked, sitting up on her knees next to him. Her eyes pricked with tears and Michael gulped. "Yes, we are best friends, but there are some things I need to work on before I can share them, okay? I'm dealing with it and I don't need your help with everything that goes on in my life!"

A tear slipped down her face and she covered her eyes with her hand. She shook her head and stood up and leaned against the far wall. Tasha's eyed widened and she walked to the bathroom to give them some privacy. Ramona turned away from Michael and mentally beat herself for lashing out at him like that. He didn't deserve it and she knew that.

Michael's own eyes burned with tears and he slowly stood and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her to face him. "I'm sorry, babygirl. You're right. I shouldn't have pushed you like that."

She sniffed and shook her head. "You were only trying to help. I'm sorry," she said weakly before more tears slid down her face. Michael wiped her eyes and pulled her into a hug and just held her for a while.

_The next day…_

"Mama se, mama sa, mama ma coo sa," Ramona sang and danced in the kitchen as she cooked.

"What are you doing?" Luke chuckled as he walked in the doorway. "What smells so good?"

Ramona was making yams and pumpkin pie to take to Neverland for Thanksgiving dinner. She spun around with a spoonful of yams and held it up to him with her hand underneath the spoon. He smiled and tasted it and nodded his approval and she smiled and kissed his cheek and continued dancing.

"What time are we heading over there?" he asked.

"As soon as I'm done cooking, we will pack up," she smiled as she continued to dance.

"Don't you ever get tired of dancing all the time?" he asked, still leaning in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Never!" she smiled and continued her dance. Once everything was complete, she cleaned up her mess while Luke packed up the car with the food. They locked up and headed over to the ranch and was greeted at the gate by Derek and Shawn. "Hey guys! Happy Thanksgiving!" Ramona smiled and leaned out the door, handing them 2 home maid cookies that were decorated as turkeys on a big popsicle stick.

"That's cute, Ray," Derek grinned. "Thank you! Happy turkey day to you too!"

"Thanks sweetness," Shawn grinned at her. Luke eyed him for a moment and Shawn cut his eyes to Luke which made Luke sink in his seat and look away. Shawn was very intimidating.

"I hope you all join us for dinner," Ramona winked. "Wouldn't be the same without you."

"We will be in as soon as we make sure everyone's arrived, no worries," Derek smiled and rubbed her head.

Ramona drove up and found a parking spot next to a rather large white SUV. They climbed out and walked up to the door and knocked. Kai answered the door and hugged Ramona. "Long time no see, Ray! How are you?"

Ramona smiled and hugged her back. "I'm great, how are you?"

"Good thank you!" she smiled and then looked at Luke. "Oh hi there, I don't believe we've met! I'm Kai Chase, the chef here."

Luke smiled and nodded. "I've heard about you. I'm Luke, Ramona's boyfriend."

Ramona blushed a little. She wasn't used to that and she wasn't entirely comfortable with it. "Right, okay well let's get this party started," Ramona said nervously.

Kai smiled and took the food from Luke and walked into the kitchen with it. Ramona followed her and entered the dining room where some of the family were visiting. Luke walked over to where the men stood talking about football and Ramona rolled her eyes.

"Raybug!" Janet squealed when she saw her. She ran over and hugged her tightly. "You're looking good girl! How are you?"

"I'm good thank you! You're looking radiant as ever! How are you?" Ramona grinned.

"Fantastic," she grinned back. LaToya and Rebbie walked in after hearing Ramona's voice and hugged her tightly as well. Katherine soon joined in and gave her hugs as well. Ramona wasn't entirely sure why, but she felt like she was just another part of this huge family. They all treated her as if she had been born a Jackson. The men came over and gave their hugs and kisses as well. Ramona soon noticed Lisa had arrived and she was standing in the corner watching Ramona closely with a look of jealousy on her face.

A pair of arms wrapped around Ramona's shoulders and she jumped when she received a big kiss on the cheek. "Glad you made it, babygirl," Michael whispered in her ear and then walked to Lisa and kissed her lightly on the lips. Lisa glanced at Ramona to make sure she was watching. Ramona noticed some of the family avoided looking at Lisa or even talking to her. That was odd.

After a few moments, Joseph walked in and greeted everyone. Lisa smiled brightly at him as if she was trying to suck up to him and he walked past her and hugged Ramona tightly and kissed her forehead. "How are you, girl?" he asked.

"I'm great, Mr. Jackson, how are you?" she smiled.

"Hungry! And call me Joe, sugar," he winked and she giggled and nodded.

"Hi Joseph!" Lisa said with a smile.

Joseph almost grumbled at her and waved at her. "Yo," he said and then headed for the men. "When do we eat?"

"Calm down, we are getting to that," Katherine smiled. "Let's all sit, shall we? Michael, are you ready? Is everyone here?"

Michael looked around the room and smiled as everyone began to take their seats. "I think so," he said with an uncertain look on his face.

"No wait, we are missing 2 people," Ramona said. Everyone looked up at her and then looked around for a moment. Finally, Derek and Shawn walked in and took their seats.

"Thanks for waiting for us," Derek smiled at Michael.

"Now everyone's present," Ramona said to Michael and he grinned and nodded.

"Alright, let us pray before we eat. Kai? Are all the workers here?" he asked.

She stood behind the table and called in the workers from all over the ranch. The room was filled with people and once everyone was accounted for, she nodded. "Everyone's here now."

"Great. Let me start out by thanking all of you for being here. It means so much to have all the people I love right here with me and God bless each and every one of you for everything you do. Let's join hands and pray," Michael said sweetly. Everyone smiled and joined hands, including the workers, and Michael said a prayer, thanking God for everyone in his life. He thanked Him for his talent and his fans, the music, and his family and friends and he blessed the food. Once he finished, everyone joined in with the amen and began feasting.

Everyone shared goofy stories around the table and Michael's cousins sat together at the children's table eating and giggling. The men shared stories about their younger days as the Jackson Five, and Michael shared a few of his own stories. They all took turns going down the table telling a silly story, and when it got to Shawn, he had to think for a moment.

"I know you have to have something, Shawn," Ramona winked at him in encouragement and he grinned.

"Well, there was this one time we were at this arena. I was standing near the bathrooms waiting for Michael to finish up his business. It was before any of the fans arrived and all the sudden, Michael screamed loudly and it echoed from the bathroom out the door and across the arena…"

"Oh no, not this story," Michael mumbled and placed his hand over his face. Everyone chuckled and continued to listen to Shawn.

"So I ran in there and asked him what happened and he said 'I dropped my glove.' At first I wasn't sure what he meant, but then I saw his glove floating in the toilet. I couldn't help but laugh and I've gotta say, if looks could kill…" he laughed and everyone laughed with him. Michael shook his head and blushed. "So I fished it out and wrung it out over the toilet and held it up to Michael and he wouldn't touch it until it was cleaned thoroughly."

"It was poo water! That's asking for major illness!" Michael tried to defend himself and everyone laughed.

"Poor baby," Lisa cooed and rubbed his face lightly. Michael gave her a fake smile and Tito snorted from across the table. Ramona bit her lip trying not to laugh and Tito winked at her.

As the dinner began to draw to a close, Michael came across another story he wanted to share with Ramona. "So as the Jackson Five, we were on tour and we were in this hotel room playing pranks on each other. We stayed up all night long. Oh it was so much fun. We had pillow fights all night and told ghost stories, and then we caught word that Barry was coming to our room and we wanted to prank him…"

"You mean YOU wanted to prank him," Jackie retorted.

"Hey, you didn't refuse it, did you?" Michael asked.

"Not like we had much of a choice," Jermaine chuckled.

"Whatever, make me the bad guy," he grumbled. "So we filled up this bucket of water and hung it over the door and waited for him to walk in. Oh when that water hit him you should have seen his fa…" Michael paused when he burped rather loudly in the middle of his story. "Oh…" He slapped his hand over his mouth and blushed a deep red. Everyone paused and looked at him and Lisa looked surprised.

The kids at the other table began laughing and Ramona giggled. "Wow, Mike…"

The others looked at her and then back at him before they began to laugh. "You're excused, Michael," Katherine said with a smile.

Michael still sat frozen and embarrassed before Ramona spoke up again. "That was weak, Michael. Come on, guys can belch louder than that."

Michael gawked at Ramona and finally lowered his hand and began to laugh with everyone else. "Yeah, thanks. So anyway, Barry has yet to get us back for that one," he grinned, already over his embarrassing moment.

Once dinner was finally over, Ramona excused herself to run to the bathroom. Everyone else sat at the table for dessert and talked quietly amongst themselves. The kids sat around the living room watching cartoons. They would be sent outside to play once dessert was over so the men could watch football.

Within moments, a loud rumbling was heard outside. It sounded faint at first, and then as it grew louder, the house began rattling. Everyone froze, not sure what it was at first, but as the house shook, the kids ran in and sat on the laps of their parents. Michael was used to earthquakes, so he simply put his hands down on the table trying to steady it. Everyone else just sat and waited. As the house shook, a loud shatter of glass echoed through the house followed by a high pitched scream. Michael's eyes widened in an instant and he stood up so fast, he knocked his chair on the floor and cracked the wood.

"Ramona!" he yelled and bolted for the bathroom. The house quit shaking once he reached the bathroom and he pushed the door open. Ramona was sitting against the far wall with her hands on her head, eyes widened in shock. There was broken glass all over the floor a few feet away from her where the mirror had fallen. She didn't look hurt. Michael stepped over the glass and bent down to her level. "Are you okay, babygirl?"

Ramona sat frozen and unmoving and wouldn't answer. Michael moved her hair out of her face to check for any injuries and was relieved to find none. He took her hands in his and wrapped her arm around his neck and picked her up, carrying her out of the bathroom. Once he entered the living room, he was surrounded by everyone asking what happened and if she was hurt.

"No, I don't think she's hurt. She's just scared, that's all. I'm gonna take her outside for some air," he said. Everyone nodded and moved away so he could walk outside with her. Lisa still sat at the dinner table and watched angrily as her fiancé carried his best friend outside.

He sat her down on the bridge and looked into her eyes. He brushed her hair behind her ears and caressed her face. After a few moments, she blinked and then sucked in a sharp breath. "The ground moved," she said in a shaky voice.

"I know. It's okay, Ray, earthquakes happen," he said softly.

"No, it's not okay. The ground moved….the ground…it isn't supposed to move!" she began to yell.

Michael put his hands on her shoulders. "Calm down, babygirl, it's alright. No one was hurt, that's the important thing."

"How can you be so okay with this? Earthquakes, Mike…you can't avoid earthquakes and you cant predict them. How is that okay? The ground moved!" she yelled and began to pace. She kept mumbling things about mother nature and everything else could be avoided except earthquakes.

Michael was in shock. He had never seen her like this and it was scaring him. He had to calm her down or she could make herself sick or something. "Ramona," he said. She continued to pace and repeat herself. "Ramona…" he said again. She couldn't hear him. She continued pacing and mumbling and he stepped in front of her, put his hands on her face and kissed her. She froze instantly and he could feel her body slowly relax against him. He held her for a moment and then stepped back, still holding her face in his hands.

She looked up at him and blinked before letting out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry."

Michael chuckled and pulled her against him. "No need to be sorry. I freaked out after my first quake too. It's a scary thing," he said softly.

She backed away and looked up at him. "How did you know it was my first?"

Michael shrugged. "I know my babygirl, that's how," he winked and she smiled. "Come on, let's go back inside. Everyone is worried about you."

Ramona blushed and followed him off the bridge and toward the house. "I don't know why."

"Are you kidding? You're more a part of this family than Lisa is," he chuckled.

Just as the said that, he heard a sharp intake of breath nearby. He looked over his shoulder past Ramona and saw Lisa standing there. He gulped and Ramona froze in mid step. Did she see the kiss? Oh boy.

"How could you say that?" she whimpered and her eyes welled up with tears. "I thought your family liked me!" she sniffed. Michael hated it when girls cried, especially girls he cared about.

"Lisa, sweetie," he took a step closer to her and held out his hand and she turned away and walked out toward the amusement park. Michael sighed and Ramona looked at him and then looked out to Lisa's retreating form.

"You better go after her. She has kind of been ignored this whole day, I'm sure she's been feeling left out and unloved," Ramona said, softly pushing Michael in the direction Lisa went.

Michael sighed once more and nodded before walking away. Ramona smiled weakly and headed back inside to join the rest of the family.


	21. Chapter 21

"How do you work this dog gone camera?" Joe grumbled as he twirled the said object in his hand. Ramona snickered as she stepped in through the back door. It was an old camera, the kind that Ramona was used to using when she was out on a job.

"What are you going to do with that?" Ramona asked when he hit the zoom button and caused the lens to pop out. "Besides break it and/or hurt yourself," she laughed.

Joseph rolled his eyes and looked at her. "And I suppose you can do better?"

She smirked and reached over, messing with a few buttons and it went back into its original form. Joe snorted at her with a smile. "Okay, miss smarty pants, then you are in charge of photography."

"I can do that," she smiled. "What all do you want pictures of?"

"Everything," Katherine walked in and put her hands on Joseph's shoulders. "We keep photographs of all the family on every family get together we have."

"You would end up growing old by the time you went through every photo album this woman has," Joe nodded toward Katherine. Ramona giggled when Katherine elbowed him and he grunted with a smile.

"You can count on me," Ramona winked and turned toward the family. The men were gathered together in the living room with the children sitting in the floor watching cartoons. Ramona flipped the camera open and snapped a few pictures of the family together. She looked through the lens and moved around the room, playing with the zoom button. She whirled around to take a shot of Katherine and Joseph and then she paused when she saw out the window behind them. Michael and Lisa were arguing. She could see Lisa waving her hands around and Michael shrugging, and moving his hands around when he spoke. She sighed and looked down.

"Everything okay, sugar?" Joe asked Ramona. She looked away and nodded and Joseph followed her gaze and saw the two outside arguing and he sighed. "They're at it again," he shook his head. "Alright, kids! Time to go out to play!" he yelled. The kids jumped up and ran outside, and Ramona followed. She saw Michael and Lisa look at the children and then they calmed things down a bit, but continued to argue quietly.

Ramona glanced back at Joe as she walked out the door. "I like the way you think."

Joseph tipped his hat toward her and winked. "It aint my first time breaking up a fight."

Ramona chuckled and followed the kids outside. Luke and the guys stayed inside to watch football and she took the opportunity to enjoy the weather. She followed the kids out to a playground a little ways away and snapped a few pictures. She also snapped a few of some of the animals nearby and finally found herself within earshot of Mike and Lisa.

"Lisa, would you please just try to understand? I was only joking!" Michael begged.

"Were you, Mike? Were you? Is that why your family smiles and loves on her and not me? Honestly why are you even with me and not her?" Lisa snapped.

"Because I love you, Lisa. Ramona is my best friend, you are my fiancé," he tried to reason with her.

"Are you sure that's what you want? I mean, why would you make jokes like that if you love me so much?" she mocked him. "Is that the way you talk about me to everyone or is Ramona just special?"

Michael sighed. "I told you it was only a joke. What more do you want me to say?"

"You are a cold man, you know that?" Lisa snapped suddenly. Michael's eyes narrowed and Ramona's mouth dropped open. "I feel sorry for your sea of female fans who think you are just the sweetest man in the world. Wouldn't they be surprised to find out how cold you really are. You were right about one thing," she looked away as she spoke and Michael stood frozen. "You are a completely different person on stage. Where's that man, Mike? Where's that man that I fell in love with? He isn't cold like you are now…" she gritted her teeth.

Michael's eyes glazed over with tears and he looked down at his feet. For once in his life, he had no idea what to say to fix things. He blamed himself. He turned slowly, opened his mouth a few times and then closed it, and finally walked away. Lisa sighed and Ramona leaned against the tree she was hiding behind. She placed a hand over her heart and took a deep breath. Her heart was hurting for Michael. It was almost as if she was feeling his pain.

"I know you're there, you might as well come out," Lisa said. Ramona bit her lip and then stepped out, slowly walking over to Lisa. "I suppose you were taking pictures of the fight? Going to turn them in to the media and ruin what little we have left?"

Ramona didn't know what came over her just then, but she felt something inside of her snap. "How dare you," she said. Lisa's head snapped up and looked at her. "Why are you putting the blame on everyone but yourself? What little relationship you have with him, you are going to destroy on your own," she shook her head. "How could you say those things to Michael? It seems to me you are the only cold one in this mix," she snorted. Lisa began to argue but Ramona stopped her. "Let me finish. I'm not here to fight with you. I am here to stop you from ruining what you have with Mike. You have something most girls only dream of!"

"Like you?" she replied.

Ramona froze for a moment. "Me? No…" she said without hesitation. "Michael and I are best friends, nothing more, nothing less. You need to stop being so threatened by me. I know there have been some weird moments since we've all met, but I promise you have nothing to worry about," Ramona paused and let Lisa chew on that for a moment. "If you and Michael fall apart, I guarantee you will be the one at fault. I have watched the both of you for a while and all I can see is Michael trying to keep everything put together as well as keep working on his career, and you continue to take everything around you as a threat. You are putting more pressure on him than you should be. A relationship is 50/50 and you're making it 80/20. How is that even fair? I'm surprised Michael didn't leave a long time ago," Ramona said. She hated belittling anyone, especially if they deserved it, but her heart was screaming at her to defend Michael, so she did. She was pointing out everything she saw for herself, and it was the honest truth.

"What do you know about relationships?" she retorted.

"Hey, everything okay out here, sweetie?" Luke came up behind Ramona and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Go back to your game, I'll be in shortly," she said.

He nodded and kissed her before jogging off toward the house. Ramona looked back at Lisa and Lisa was standing there with a strange look on her face. "You…you're dating Luke? When did this happen?"

"A few weeks ago. Like I said, I am not a threat," she spoke slowly as if she were hammering every word into Lisa's head.

Lisa sighed. "Maybe you're right," she paused for a long moment. "I'm…"

"Don't apologize to me," Ramona interrupted. "Apologize to your fiancé. He is the one you hurt, not me." Lisa looked down and tapped her fingers against the railing of the bridge. "I suggest you stand here for a bit and try to sort through what you plan to say to him. I wouldn't go up to him and hesitate. You have to speak from your heart if you want to apologize effectively."

Lisa raised a brow at Ramona and nodded. Ramona took that as a thank you and left. She wandered around the ranch and snapped a few pictures. She watched through her lens as she moved around, looking for great photo opportunities. Suddenly, a spot of red caught her eye. She zoomed in and found it was Michael, in his bright red shirt, sitting up on a branch of a large tree. She sighed and approached him. She studied him for a moment. He had his back against the trunk of the tree and his legs out in front of him. He looked pretty comfortable on that branch. He was staring at the sun as it began to set. She snapped a quick picture and his head turned at the sound.

"Oh, you startled me," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry. What are you doing up there all by yourself?" she asked. He wasn't even cracking a smile at her and she hated that. "Did you lose a bet with Bubbles?"

Michael finally smirked. "Not this time. Just watching the sunset, that's all."

Ramona chewed on the inside of her cheek. "Am I missing it again?"

Michael swung his legs over the branch and reached his hand down toward her. "You want to join me?"

Ramona studied the tree branch and then shook her head and walked away. Michael cocked his head to the side and jumped down to follow her. Ramona walked near the house and placed the camera down on the porch. She glanced back behind her and saw Michael following her from a distance and she smirked and took off running. Michael raised a brow and then smiled and chased her. She ran to the Giving Tree and climbed up to the platform near the top. She looked down when he reached the tree and giggled.

"It's about time. Come on, you're missing it!"

Michael rolled his eyes and climbed the tree. He plopped himself on the platform and Ramona patted the spot against the branch where he sat once before with her. He smiled and took his spot and held his arms out for her. She scooted herself between his legs and rested her back against his chest. He rested his chin on her head and wrapped his arms around her as they watched the sun set from their favorite spot.

"I love moments like this. We need more of them," Ramona sighed.

"Yes, we do. Not many people know about this spot. Perhaps it should be our spot?" Michael suggested.

Ramona nodded slowly and closed her eyes. She could feel his heart beating against her back and it relaxed her. Michael tilted his head and rested his cheek on her head and closed his eyes. Both began to doze off as the sun finally set when a loud voice startled them awake.

"Ramona! Phone for you!" Luke's voice echoed through the ranch.

Ramona groaned and Michael chuckled and hugged her. "We'd better go…" he stopped when he heard Lisa's voice calling for him. "Okay, you go back to the house. I'll go talk to Cruella," he cringed.

Ramona giggled. "Be nice, Mike. Maybe she just wants to apologize," she stretched as she began her descend down the tree.

Michael followed her and jumped down, helping her down the rest of the way. "Did you say something to her?" he asked.

Ramona looked away innocently. "I might have."

"Ramona…"

"I was only following my instinct and protecting my best friend. Don't you take that tone with me," Ramona warned.

Michael smirked and raised his voice an octave. "Ramona…"

"Michael!"

"Ramona!" their names were called at the same time. Both rolled their eyes and headed in separate directions. "There you are, Ramona. The boss is on the phone for you," Luke said as he held out her cell phone.

"On Thanksgiving? That's strange," she said. "Hello?"

"Greene, I need you to come into the office," he said.

"Now? But it's Thanksgiving," she said.

"And?" he asked coldly.

Ramona sighed. "And…I'll be right in."

"Good," he hung up and she groaned.

"Are you serious? He wants you to come in on Thanksgiving?" Luke asked her as he followed her into the house. By that time, Michael and Lisa had returned, walking hand in hand. Everyone looked at Ramona when Luke started questioning her.

"It's not a big deal…" she said quietly.

"It's a family holiday! How can he make you come in? You need to step up to that guy Ramona!" Luke said angrily.

Ramona sighed. Michael stepped forward and put his hand on Luke's shoulder. "Ease up man. Sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do," he said.

"I'm sorry everyone. Thanks for having me," she hugged everyone and handed her house key to Luke. "You're things are at my house. Lock up for me?" she asked.

He sighed. "Sure. I'll walk you out."

They gathered their things and headed to the door. Ramona turned to hug Michael when Luke walked out to unlock her car for her. He hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for…you know," he smiled shyly.

"Anything for my tomcat," she winked.

He gave her a quick peck on the lips and hugged her again. "I love you babygirl. Don't work too hard, okay? Text me when you can," he said.

"I will. I love you more, tomcat," she winked and he nudged her lightly.

"I love you most," he smiled widely when she wrinkled her nose at him.

She headed out the door and opened her door. Lisa ran out and gave Ramona a very awkward hug. "What was that for?" Ramona asked.

"For your advice," she said quietly. "You were right, he forgave me."

Ramona smiled. "I knew he would. Good luck, Lisa…and be nice," she gave her a look and then jumped into her car and headed to the office.

_At the office…_

"I need 3 new stories from you, Greene, ASAP," the boss said when she walked into his office.

"Happy Thanksgiving to you too," she said sarcastically.

"Yeah," he grumbled.

Ramona rolled her eyes and headed to her office. She opened her computer and searched the web a bit. She paused for a moment to post a few things on Facebook before she got back to work. About 2 hours later, she was pacing by the window. She had ideas for 2 stories and was now working on the 3rd when her boss came in and announced he was going home.

"Lock up when you're done," he tossed her the keys.

"Pardon? You're leaving me here alone?" she asked nervously.

"As soon as you get my stories on my desk, you're free to go home," he said and then left her alone. She bit her lip nervously. She was used to being alone, but not in a big building at night, in the middle of the city. Her mind began playing the "what if" game and she shook her head. She looked over at her stereo in the corner of the room and she slapped it to life. A dance CD that Tasha burned for her was in the stereo and Ramona smiled instantly.

She danced around her office and after the first song, she came up with her 3rd story. She paused in between each song to write down her new ideas, and another 2 hours later, she was done. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and organized her 3 stories and threw them on her boss's desk. She grabbed her jacket and locked up the building and walked outside. She smiled brightly when she noticed it had started snowing.

She pulled out her phone and began to send a message to Michael, but then she noticed the time. It was already 3 in the morning. She sighed and climbed into her car and went home. She collapsed into her bed once she got there. It seemed she only slept about 4 hours before her alarm went off and she had to get up and get ready for work, again.

By the time the week had finished, Ramona was exhausted. Her boss was working her to the bone and she needed a break. She didn't dare to complain on the fear of her losing her job. It was the best job she ever had. She lay back on her bed and stared at Michael's picture when she heard someone knock on the door. She groaned and dragged her feet to the door and opened it.

"Hey!" Saph and Jaz said the moment she opened the door. "Woa, you look awful!" Jaz said.

"What happened to you?" Saph asked.

Ramona let them in and they sat on the couch. "I am just a little overworked, that's all," she said tiredly. Saph pulled her feet into her lap.

"Well, how would you like to have a girls day?" Jaz asked.

Ramona cracked one eye open when her front door swung open. Tasha walked in and smiled. "Whose car are we taking?"

Ramona sat up and smiled. "I don't know girls, I'm pretty tired."

"Oh come on, you will like what we have in store. Go get dressed and dress warm. It's snowing out there!" Tasha said.

Ramona dragged herself into her room and changed clothes as she was told. The girls piled into Tasha's SUV and took Ramona to a spa where they all got massages, manicures and pedicures. Ramona spent a little extra time in the sauna and felt completely energized. The girls even stopped to eat and have some coffee before they took her home.

"Thanks girls, I needed that." Ramona hugged them all at the door.

"We would have done more, but you should go to sleep a while. You have a date with your bestie in the morning and we are keeping Luke and Lisa away for you, so go get some rest while you can," Tasha smiled and pushed her toward her room.

Too tired to argue, Ramona stretched and yawned and the girls locked the door for her and left. Ramona finally caught up on her sleep. She went to bed at 7 in the evening and woke up around 11 the next morning. Her doorbell was ringing and she stood up and stretched and answered her door.

"Its about time! It's freezing out there!" Michael pushed by her with snow in his long hair and on his shoulders and hat. Ramona giggled and brushed the snow off on the rug he was standing on. "Were you asleep?" he asked her, touching the bags under her eyes.

"Yea, but it's okay. I needed to get up anyway," she smiled. He pulled off his giant coat and took his boots off at the door. He hung his hat on the hook by the door and flipped his hair, finally moving into the living room. Ramona giggled. "Make yourself at home."

"I always do," he winked. "You want some coffee or something?"

Ramona shook her head. "I prefer hot chocolate," she smiled.

"Agreed," he grinned and pushed her on the couch and walked into the kitchen. Moments later, he came back with 2 mugs full of hot chocolate and mini marshmallows.

"Thank you," she smiled and brought the cup to her lips.

"Be careful, it's pretty…"

"OW! Son of a nutcracker!" she yelped and pushed the mug away, spilling some on her pajama pants and burning her tongue. She placed the mug on the table and stood up.

"Hot…" Michael finished and placed his mug down and stood back up. "Are you okay?"

"I can't feel my tongue…and my pants," she was talking funny and Michael smirked. He froze when she peeled her pants off, leaving her in her large shirt and shorty shorts. Michael grabbed a cold rag from the kitchen and a small cup of ice.

"Here, keep this rag on your legs," he lay the rag across the red spots on her legs and placed his hand over it. Then he picked up an ice cube with his other hand and put it to her lips. "Open," he said. She opened her mouth and he placed it on her tongue. She closed her eyes in relief and moaned a bit. Michael watched her lips as she sucked on the ice cube. He licked his own lips and looked down at her legs, checking the burns. "How does that feel?"

"Much better. Thanks, tomcat," she smiled and placed her hand on his as he raised another ice cube to her lips. He pursed his lips and then kissed her. "If you're kissing me, sorry but I can't feel a thing," she mumbled against his lips.

He backed away and laughed and shook his head. "What a way to ruin the moment," he teased. "Now go get dressed. We need to do some special shopping."

"Shopping?" she asked as her eyes lit up.

"Yep. I had a few stores close down just for us. We need to get our houses decorated for Christmas. What do you say?" he asked.

She practically squealed with joy and hugged him, knocking him backward and falling on top of him. She kissed him out of excitement and jumped up and ran to her room. "Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock!" she sang and Michael laughed.

Christmas was always the best holiday to turn grown men and women into little kids. He couldn't wait to get these decorations and get to work on their houses. He loved doing it ever since Elizabeth showed him how. His workers decorated the entire ranch and he wanted to decorate the house on his own, and doing it with Ramona would make it ten times better.


	22. Chapter 22

"Oh holy night, the stars are brightly shining…" Ramona sang as she rode in the car with Michael. Michael glanced at her and smiled. She had her legs crossed and her hands in her lap. She looked like a little kid.

"Excited much?" Michael asked.

"Oh yes, aren't you?"

He nodded. "Of course I am. What kind of person doesn't get excited over Christmas?"

She giggled and shrugged. "Aliens…?"

Michael laughed and shook his head as they pulled up to their first stop. Ramona glanced out the window to see they were at a tree farm. She raised a brow at Michael and he grinned. "First things first, the man essential to Christmas is the tree. We need 2 big ones for our houses!" he grinned.

"Just 2?" Ramona scratched her chin.

"What are you thinking?" he asked after moment.

"I think you need one for the guest house, and maybe one in the theater…perhaps one in your bedroom?" she smiled and shrugged.

"And you're going to help me decorate each one?" he said as he raised a brow.

She nodded with a huge smile on her face. "Decorating is one of my best hobbies!"

"Alright," he grinned. "Let's go see what we can find." He offered his hand to her and opened the door. He pulled his hat over his eyes and slipped on his aviators and she pulled her own glasses out. "Oh look at this one!" he pulled her along to a huge tree. "It's huge!"

"Yeah it is. Nice and full…we would need a ladder to decorate this thing," she giggled and he agreed. They walked around for about an hour before they finished. They decided on the biggest tree at the farm for the living room at Neverland. It stood about 12 feet tall. Ramona pulled out a notebook and wrote down the measurements of every tree they bought so she would know how many decorations to get for each tree. The next tree they found was 9 feet tall and it was chosen for Ramona's house. Michael picked an 8 foot tall tree for the theater, and another the same size for the guest house. He picked a small 7 foot tree for his bedroom.

"I don't see why I need a tree in my bedroom. I don't see you getting one for yours," he grumbled.

"No one goes in my room but me, so why bother?" she folded her arms at him and he rolled his eyes. "How are we going to get these trees back home?"

"That's where I come in!" a voice called from behind Ramona. She and Michael turned to see Derek leaning against a rather large truck that had a large trailer hooked on the back. "You just tell me which tree goes where and I will take care of the rest."

Ramona smiled and walked over to him to explain what he asked for while Michael headed back to the farm to pay. "This is pretty simple, Derek. The 9 footer goes to my place, and the rest go to Neverland," she paused and handed him a slip of paper from her notebook explaining what goes where. Michael had made little sketches of where he wanted each tree placed to get a rough idea. "If you could try to place these where he drew them, we will make adjustments when we get home."

Derek flipped through the pages and then nodded. "Alright then."

"Oh one last thing, you and Mike are the only ones I trust to know where I keep my spare key."

"Let me guess, it's on top of the porch light or under the mat?" he asked.

Ramona chuckled. "That's too obvious. No…I have a statue in my little garden of a small group of bunnies."

"Oh, right I've seen that," he said.

"Yep. Flip it upside down and the key is velcro'd to the bottom. Just don't tell anyone about it," she said with her finger in his face.

"Or what, dare I ask?" he smirked at her.

"Or I will have to kill you," Michael retorted from behind Ramona.

Ramona smirked and pointed her thumb over her shoulder. "What he said."

Derek rolled his eyes and Michael tossed him the key to his bedroom door. "Just leave the one for my room next to the staircase. I haven't decided where to place that one yet."

"You got it boss. You two have fun!" he smiled and headed to the group of trees the 2 friends had chosen.

Michael and Ramona jumped back in the SUV and headed to the next store. A few hours and 4 stores later, they had 3 SUV's full of decorations and were on their way back home. Ramona had called the girls to help them and they met up with Michael and Ramona at Neverlands gate. Workers came out to unload the decorations and Jas, Saph and Tasha stood by with their mouths hanging open at all the decorations they had bought.

"Good lord, Ray…did you break the bank or what?" Saph asked.

Ramona smirked. "Not even close. What we spent today was merely pocket change to tomcat," she winked at Michael and he tipped his fedora at her. The girls giggled and Ramona pulled out her clipboard and looked over a few things. She glanced at one worker dragging a big box of ornaments toward the guess house. "Woa woa, hold it, those decorations belong to the living room tree," she walked over to the workers to explain again where everything went.

"Wow, this is a side of Ramona I haven't seen in a long time," Jaz said.

"This is a side of her?" Michael asked, staring at Ramona.

"Yeah, she knows what she wants and once she gets determined enough, she makes her vision happen no matter what," Saph said. "She was elected class president in high school many times but she kept turning the job down."

"Really? Why?" he asked.

"She didn't like the attention on her all the time," Jaz said.

"And yet she is the best dancer I have seen in a long while," Tasha added. Michael cleared his throat and she frowned at him and punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Besides you, I mean, egghead."

"Don't call me that!" Michael groaned and the girls giggled.

"Okay, everything is where it needs to be here. Shall we get started?" Ramona said when she rejoined the group.

They all nodded and got started on the living room. They worked together on the tree, starting with the lights. Michael got himself wrapped up in the cords and almost fell and the girls laughed and took a picture. They used several ornaments and Michael pulled out his own box from storage of hand made ornaments.

"What are those?" Ramona asked.

Michael pulled up a snowflake made of paper and glitter and smiled. He had a new light in his eyes. "These are ornaments made for me by children and my fans."

The girls paused as they looked over the ornaments in the box. "That is so sweet," Saph cooed.

"Yeah, I've tried to keep every gift my fans gave me. In fact, there's a building a few yards away from here where I keep most of them, along with my awards."

"How come you don't keep your awards here where you can see them? You should be proud of yourself," Jaz said.

"If I see my awards I will feel like I have done it all. I don't want that. I want to keep doing better than I've ever done," he shrugged and continued to add ornaments to the tree.

They all continued decorating the trees in the house and also hung stockings on the fireplace. They decorated the staircase with garland and lights and then moved on to Ramona's house. They did the same to her house and decorated every inch of her living room. Then they moved outside and hung lights on the house. She had glittering snowflakes hanging from her roof and little moving deer in her yard. Michael threw a snowball at Ramona as she fixed the cord so it wouldn't be seen from the road and she glared at him. He giggled and she nailed him in the back of the head with a snowball.

"Ramona!" he shrieked.

She giggled. "Michael!" she shrieked in the same tone and he narrowed his eyes at her. She giggled again and took of running.

He stood up with a smirk. "Gone girl!" he yelled and she laughed as he ran after her.

Jaz, Saph, and Tasha stepped outside and then paused when they saw what looked like a recreation of the video The Way You Make Me Feel. Michael was chasing her around the yard the same way he chased Tatiana back then. He was shouting the same words to her and she laughed. Tasha grinned and pulled retrieved Ramona's stereo and popped in that song. She blasted it and both Ramona and Michael stopped and paused for a moment before grinning at each other. They continued running around the yard and Saph pulled out a video camera as they acted out the music video in the snow.

A few hours later, the gang had settled themselves down in Ramona's living room. She had the lights down low and the fire going in the fireplace. The Christmas tree flashed in the corner and the group sat in the floor wrapped in blankets around the fire.

"So, I have to know, how did you keep Lisa and Luke away?" Ramona asked the girls.

"Oh that was easy," Jaz smirked. "They didn't know who we were so we disguised ourselves."

"Lisa was easy actually. We had her thinking we were doing a special interview about her father's estate," Saph added.

"Luke was a little harder to deal with. I lied to him and told him I was sent by his boss to help him with a new story," Tasha smiled.

Michael and Ramona laughed and then Michael's phone went off. "Pardon me a moment," he excused himself and walked into the kitchen to answer. "Hello?"

"Michael, where are you?" Lisa's voice answered.

"I'm helping Ramona and her friends decorate her house, or was. I was about to head home. Is everything alright?" he asked.

Lisa bit back the jealous comment she had on the tip of her tongue. "Have you seen the weather lately? There is a huge blizzard moving in."

"Really?" he asked. He walked to Ramona's front door and looked out the window. Just then, Ramona's phone went off. She sighed and grabbed it and went to her room to answer.

"Hello?"

"Ray, there's a blizzard moving in, please tell me you're home," Luke begged.

"I'm home. My friends are with me. Are you home?" she asked.

"Yes, and what friends? Michael?" he asked with a tinge of jealousy.

"Yea he is here with 3 of my girl friends as well, so don't get your big boy pants in a bunch," she retorted. Michael walked in the hallway calling her name and she stopped him at the door so he wouldn't enter her room.

"Ramona…the blizzard is here. Looks like I'm going to be staying with…" Ramona put her hand over his mouth and shushed him.

"Was that Michael?" Luke asked.

"Yea, he was just telling me he is leaving, okay? Just stay inside where it's safe and I will call you in the morning."

Luke hesitated. "Okay, you better. I love you," he said suddenly.

Ramona's hand dropped from Michael's mouth in shock and she gulped. "Um…okay, bye!" she hung up and leaned against the wall.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"He…just said…" she couldn't even say it.

"He dropped the L bomb already?" he asked and then shook his head. "I knew something was weird about that guy. Be careful around him, babygirl. I don't trust him."

"Because of what he said?" she asked.

"Because he said it this soon in your relationship. Something isn't right," he said, biting his lip.

Ramona hugged him suddenly and buried her face into his chest. He hugged her back tightly. She didn't know why she felt so vulnerable at that moment, but being in Michael's arms always seemed to make her feel like nothing could harm her. Why was Michael the only one that made her feel that way?

"You two have got to see this!" Tasha yelled from the living room.

Michael and Ramona released each other and then headed into the living room where the girls were huddled together looking out the living room window. Michael and Ramona joined them and gasped when they saw the amount of snow that was falling outside.

"This is so incredible, to happen in California of all places!" Michael gasped.

"It's beautiful," Ramona smiled brightly.

The other girls agreed. "Looks like none of us will be going anywhere tonight," Saph said.

Ramona grinned. "It's alright. I have a guest room and extra sleeping bags and plenty of firewood."

About an hour later, the gang sat around listening to Michael tell a ghost story. The girls huddled together when the power suddenly shut off. Michael merely grinned since it worked well with his story.

"And then as the group huddled together, all alone in a powerless house, the man that had been murdered in their town creeped up on their house…" he said with a grungy voice. "He dragged his bloody legs forward and approached the door where the girls had no idea what was about to happen. He slowly raised his bloody arm and…"

Just then, the front door slammed open and the girls shrieked. Ramona yelped and Michael screamed with them. The girls curled themselves around Michael. Ramona was in his lap, Saph and Jaz were clinging to each arm, and Tasha was hiding behind him with her arms around his shoulders. A man argued with the door with the wind blowing so hard but finally slammed it closed.

"Woo man, that's some wind!" the man sighed.

Michael relaxed and frowned. "Derek! You scared us all senseless man!" 

Ramona growled and walked up to Derek and smacked his arm. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"Ow! Sorry! I just figured you all needed more firewood!" he yelled in defense. Ramona looked down at his feet and saw he had hauled a pretty big pile of firewood through her door onto her rug.

"Oh, thank you. We were just about to run out," she said lightly. "Sorry."

The blizzard continued to pound into the house all night long and pretty soon, Michael and Ramona were laying side by side on the floor by the fire. Everyone else was asleep. "Ramona?" Mike asked, looking at her. She had her eyes closed and she was on her stomach.

"Hm?" she mumbled.

"Are you awake?" he asked.

She cracked one eye open. "No I just responded in my sleep," she replied and he rolled his eyes.

"Real funny, Ray," he stuck his tongue at her and she giggled and sat up.

"What's up?" she asked.

Michael glanced at the group, making sure they were asleep and then he scooted closer to the fire and held his arm out to her. She smiled and slid against him, laying her head on his shoulder. "Tell me something, why did you talk to Lisa when you did?"

Ramona thought for a moment. "I…I don't know. I heard what she had said to you and I saw your reaction and something inside of me just snapped. She already knew I was there so I decided to take advantage of my momentary courage."

"You got her to apologize. She has never once apologized so sincerely to me since I met her," he said quietly.

"She shouldn't have to," Ramona sat up, looking him in the eyes. "If she loves you like she says she does, she shouldn't treat you the way she does. I don't understand why you would stay with someone like that."

"Why do you stay with Luke?" he asked suddenly.

Ramona looked away and sighed. "Because I see some good in him."

"You see good in everyone. Maybe you shouldn't trust so easily," he smirked.

"You should follow your own advice every now and then," she grinned.

"Maybe," he sighed.

Before long, they were both asleep. The group had to stay at Ramona's for about a week before the snow finally began to clear. They were snowed in. Thankfully, Ramona had enough food to keep them fed for a while. By the end of the week, it was Christmas Eve and Derek was fed up. He bundled up and ventured out into the deep snow and shoveled out the porch for Ramona. The group decided to follow his lead and they went outside. They had intentions of digging out their cars until Shawn arrived in his big truck full of groceries.

Michael and Ramona thanked him repeatedly. They were almost out of food and they had no idea when they would be able to dig out Ramona's car. Not like Michael would allow her to drive on icy roads anyway. He wouldn't even drive on it.

They all played in the snow most of the day. They had snowball fights and built a snowman. Tasha made a sculpture of Michael in one of his famous dance poses and it made Michael laugh. Michael and Ramona ended up wrestling in the snow and the girls went inside to make dinner. When Michael and Ramona stepped in through her back door, Jaz and Saph grinned brightly.

Ramona closed the door behind them and stood on the towel she had laid out for them to stand on while they took off their outside clothes. "What's with the look?" she asked them as she pulled her coat off.

Tasha joined the girls and then pointed above them. Michael and Ramona looked up. The girls had placed a mistletoe above the door. They both blushed and looked at each other.

"Come on you two, it's tradition!" Tasha squealed. Jaz pulled out the camera and Saph grinned brightly.

Michael and Ramona smiled and blushed brighter. They gave each other a quick peck on the lips and then looked back at the girls.

"Oh heck no! It's got to be a real kiss. Give it some passion!" Jaz said.

"Uh…" Michael said and looked at Ramona and then shrugged. "Traditions tradition," he winked and wrapped his arms around her and dipped her. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He moved in slowly and his lips burned into hers. Jaz snapped a picture and the girls cooed together. The kiss lasted a few seconds and Michael was nearly tempted to lick her lips, just to know what she tasted like. Before he got the chance, the doorbell rang.

They separated with rosy cheeks and answered the door and in walked a few of Michael's workers with hands full of presents. They placed them under the tree and then left as quickly as they came. The girls decided to go back to their homes for Christmas Eve with their families and Michael had one final thing up his sleeve.

"Derek, are we ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah, the car is loaded. They are expecting you soon," he smiled.

"Where are you going?" Ramona asked him as he pulled his coat on.

"We," he said and threw her a coat. "Get bundled up. I need your help."

"With what?" she asked as she bundled herself up and locked the door behind them.

He helped her inside the SUV and pointed to the back. The entire back of the car was filled with gifts. "We are going to the orphanage and the children's hospital to deliver these gifts. I wanted you to be a part of this."

Ramona's eyes glazed over with tears. "I'm speechless, Mike. How come you didn't ask Lisa to go with you?"

"She can't handle it. I took her with me in Bucharest once and she did okay at first, but she ended up leaving in tears. She told me never to ask her to do that again," he said sadly.

"I can understand why," Ramona replied.

"Yeah, it isn't exactly the easiest thing to see, but this is what I do. This is part of my job and it makes me feel good when I can bring a smile to a child's face," he smiled at her and she nodded.

Together they walked into the orphanage and the hospital handing out gifts to each child and giving them encouraging words and hugs and kisses. They watched with smiles on their faces as each child ripped open their presents and cheered loudly. Ramona was overcome with a new emotion in that orphanage. As they left, she looked down at her feet. Michael put his arm around her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. Michael…those kids don't have homes, no parents, right?" she asked and he nodded sadly. "What happens to them if they don't find homes?"

"Well, most of these children go out to foster homes until the center finds them a permanent home. If no one adopts them, or fosters them, they are stuck here until they grow up and move on their own."

"That's so sad," she said.

Michael nodded and they continued on their way. After all gifts were handed out, Michael and Ramona headed back home. They headed to Neverland and Michael led Ramona to the living room and she sat down by the fire.

"Would you like to stay here tonight? I have a generator so my power won't go out, and my family will be here in the morning for Christmas," Michael said as he took his shoes off.

"Yeah, thank you tomcat," she said quietly.

"You're welcome, babygirl. I have something for you, by the way," he said. Ramona looked at him curiously as he walked over to the tree and sifted through the gifts and picked up a small gift. "I know it's a bit early, but I didn't want to wait."

"You didn't have to," she said. "But thank you," she smiled as she unwrapped it. She held it up in her hands and studied it. It was a small black book with Michael's signature engraved into the cover.

"This is my poetry book. It isn't everything I have ever written, but I filled this with some things that reminded me of you. The first one is something I wrote when I first became popular and realized what the media was really like."

"It's beautiful, Mike. Thank you so much. I feel like you're letting me into your life more by doing this," she said and wiped a tear away.

"I don't think you can be into my life anymore than you already are," he said and she glanced at him. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

She smiled and opened the book to the first page and then looked up at him. He nodded and she smiled. "I forgot my reading glasses at home," she blushed. Michael grinned and walked out for a moment and returned with his reading glasses. "I didn't know you wore glasses."

"Well, now you do," he smiled. "Only to read though," he winked.

"Thank you," she smiled and put them on and began to read:

"Magical Child

Once there was a child and he was free

Deep inside, he felt the laughter

The mirth and play of nature's glee

Beauty, love was all he'd see

He knew his power was the power of God

He was so sure, they considered him odd

This power of innocence, of compassion, of light

Threatened the priests and created a fight

In endless ways they sought to dismantle

This mysterious force which they could not handle

In endless ways they tried to destroy

His simple trust, his boundless joy

His invincible armor was a shield of bliss

Nothing could touch it, no venom, no hiss

The child remained in a state of grace

He wasn't confined in time or place

In Technicolor dreams, he frolicked and played

While acting his part, in Eternity he stayed

Soothsayers came and fortunes were told

Some were vehement, others were bold

In denouncing this child, this perplexing creature

With the rest of the world he shared no feature

IS he real? He is so strange

His unpredictable nature knows no range

He puzzles us so, is he straight?

What's his destiny? What's his fate?

And while they whispered and conspired

Through endless rumors to get him tired

To kill his wonder, trample him near

Burn his courage, fuel his fear

The child remained just simple, sincere

All he wanted was the mountain high

Color the clouds, paint the sky

Beyond these boundaries, he wanted to fly

In nature's scheme, never to die

Don't stop this child; he's the father of man

Don't cross his way, he's part of the plan

I am that child, but so are you

You've just forgotten, just lost the clue

Inside your heart sits a Seer

Between his thoughts, he can hear

A melody simple but wondrously clear

The music of life, so precious, so dear

If you could for one moment know

This spark of creation, this exquisite glow

You would come and dance with me

Kindle this fire so we could see

All the children of the Earth

Wave their magic and give new birth

To a world of freedom with no pain

A world of joy, much more sane

Deep inside, you know it's true

Just find that child, it's hiding in you."

Ramona took her glasses off and wiped her eyes. "Michael that is the most beautiful thing I have ever read."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes, really. I love it. Thank you for sharing this with me," she hugged him tightly and he hugged her back.

"You're most welcome, babygirl. Merry Christmas," he smiled.

She paused and then sat up. "Oh, I have a little something for you as well," she said as she pulled a small gift wrapped box from her coat pocket. She handed it to him and smiled. "It isn't much, and this is only part of your gift. You will get the other part tomorrow," she smiled.

"2 parts? Why?" he asked.

"Because part 2 is hidden at my house and I don't feel like going to get it right now," she grumbled. "Now open it!"

Michael chuckled and opened his gift. He pulled out a bracelet made of black rope with several colorful beads embedded into it. A small charm sat in the middle that read "best friends". Michael smiled and put it on. "A friendship bracelet…I love it!" he grinned and hugged her. "Thank you," he smiled.

"Merry Christmas," she said.


	23. Chapter 23

"Ramona…wake up," Michael whispered. He and Ramona were laying in the living room floor next to the fireplace. The sun was about to rise and Michael was already awake, and he wanted Ramona to see the sunrise with him. He nudged her and she moaned in her sleep and made him snicker. "Wake up sunshine," he sang and nudged her again.

"Mmm, five more minutes Mike," she mumbled. He nudged her again and she stretched and rolled over to her side and curled herself up against Michael. He smirked at this. She looked like a little kid trying to get warm. She buried her face against his chest and sighed. "You smell nice."

Michael blushed. "Thank you. Come on, get up silly," he nudged her again and she wrapped her arms around him tightly. Michael sighed and gave in, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly.

"I love moments like these," she mumbled.

"Me too, but where there are moments to remember, there are usually," he paused when his doorbell rang and he sighed. "Interruptions."

He sat up and Ramona whined and then slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Why must you get company so early?" she groaned. She stood up with him and he shrugged and walked toward the door just in time for Lisa to walk in.

"Good morning and Merry Christmas!" she said happily, throwing her arms around Michael. Ramona grabbed her sleeping bag and hid it behind the couch before she could see her. Lisa saw Ramona and smiled hesitantly. "Oh, hi. When did you get here?"

"Uh…"

"She spent the night here. Her house has no power so I asked her to stay," Michael answered without hesitation.

"Oh, I see. Will Luke be joining us as well?" she asked Ramona.

"I think so. Speaking of which, I'd better go call him," she said, walking to her coat and pulling out her phone. "Shoot, it's dead. Hey, Mike…?"

Michael smiled. "There's a phone in the kitchen. Why don't you call the girls while your at it and invite them over too? Everyone will be arriving just before noon to have Christmas dinner," he suggested.

"Oh, alright. First, I'd like to run home and get a change of clothes," she said, looking outside. The snow was heavy on the ground but the roads looked safe. She sighed at the sight. She didn't know if she wanted to try and hike her way to the house just to change and come back.

"Oh, no you're not," Michael said. "Yo, Derek!" he called through the house. Derek came out of the hallway leading to the guest room adjusting his clothes.

"Yes, boss?" he asked and then noticed the girls. "Oh, hey ladies! Merry Christmas!"

Ramona and Lisa smiled at him. "Merry Christmas," they said.

"Can you do Ramona a solid and get a change of clothes for her from her house?" Michael asked politely.

"Anything for babygirl," he winked at Ramona and she shook her head with a smile.

"You don't have to…"

"Yeah he does, he owes it to me now. You can't use my nickname for her," he sneered at Derek and made him laugh.

"Sorry, I didn't know you had a claim," he mocked him. "Anyways, do you have a preference of clothes or would you like me to just grab them all?" he teased.

Ramona shook her head and told him specifically what item to get. "And make sure you grab my big boots in the back of my closet. I will have to track back home later to get the last gift."

"I'd better take Shawn with me to gather the family presents too," he thought outloud.

Ramona gave him her key and thanked him and he bundled up and took off for her house with Shawn. Ramona loved this entire group Michael had. Everyone around him was sweeter than honey and she envied him in a way, but she was also grateful to be a part of it now. Lisa was the only exception to the sweet part, but even she had a soft spot in her heart that Ramona enjoyed. She smiled again and headed into the kitchen to make some calls. She called Luke first and he gave her a lecture about charging her battery more often and he agreed to come to the party. The girls agreed without hesitation, but they wanted to take presents to Ramona's house first.

"If you insist, fine. Swing by here and I'll ask Derek to give you the key. Just be careful when you get out here. The snow is extremely thick on the ground," Ramona warned.

"We know," Saph and Jaz said on the phone. "It isn't our first time trekking in the snow. Maybe it is in California but don't forget we lived up north for a while," they said. Those 2 had been inseparable since high school. Ramona loved them so much. They were her soul sisters. Tasha was the same. She took Ramona under her wing after they met and she had been the protective sister ever since.

She smiled and sighed as she hung up. Derek and Shawn came back shortly afterward with the items she had asked for and she thanked them and ran to the available guest room to change. She asked them to bring the presents to the tree in the guest house as a surprise. She had some last minute ideas for gifts for the Jackson family. She was actually quite proud of herself. She even bought Lisa a gift.

She dressed herself in black leggings and a bright red sweater. She had fuzzy red socks to match and put on some bright red lipstick. She loved dressing for Christmas. She loved the color red so much. When she walked out, she grinned as she neared the wood floor in the living room. She ran forward as fast as she could and then slid across the floor in her fuzzy socks. She spun in a circle as if she was dancing and she heard a few chuckles. She froze as she noticed the Jackson brothers standing in the doorway watching her.

"Just take those old records off the shelf!" Tito sang.

I'm gonna listen to em' by myself!" Jermaine added.

"Oh…shut up," Ramona giggled. She greeted everyone with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Michael took his chance to hug her from behind and he held on to her for a moment. "What's up, tomcat?"

"You look gorgeous, I just wanted you to know," he whispered in her ear. She blushed and turned to kiss his cheek.

"You look handsome too," she smiled. He was dressed in black slacks and a black button-up long sleeve shirt with a white tank underneath. He left his hair down and he gelled it and gave it an extra curl. Ramona grinned and grabbed a curly strand in his face and curled it around her finger to give it extra curl. "My little curly-Q," she teased.

He rolled his eyes and nudged her. The rest of the guests showed up and sat down to a nice dinner. After they sat and talked for a while, they gathered in the living room to exchange gifts. Ramona stood by with the camera and took photos of the family until they had her sit down. Michael took the camera and she sat with a confused look on her face.

"We kind of pulled together and got you a few things," Jackie said, bringing a stack of gift wrapped boxes to her.

"You didn't have to get me anything, guys. Being around all of you is all I could ask for," she smiled. They grinned and handed her the boxes anyway and she opened them one by one. The family had indeed pulled together and bought her a new collection of dancing clothes. She was touched. And they were all the right size. Michael must have helped them out with that. "I love them! Thank you all so much," she said with glossy eyes and hugged each of them tightly. "I also got a little something for everyone," she said. "Derek!" she called.

He came out hauling the gifts for everyone and they looked confused. Each person got a gift and Lisa was even shocked to get one. They all sat and opened their gifts. Joseph was first. He unwrapped a digital camera and he laughed and hugged her. Katherine unwrapped a digital photo album that Michael had to help her get. It hadn't been released in America yet, and he had to pull a few strings for her. She giggled and thanked her. The rest of the family got a range from clothing to jewelry and Tito got a new toolbox for his garage. Lisa opened an ice angel and she adored it and thanked Ramona. Luke unwrapped a new flat screen television to watch his sports on.

As they finished up and settled down for the night, Ramona made the announcement she had a few more tricks up her sleeve. "Alright, I'm heading to the house. Join me when you're ready," she said to Michael and he nodded.

The girls followed her lead and made their way back to her house. She made hot chocolate for everyone and after everyone had left Neverland, Michael finally made it. He brought a box of small gifts with him. As they opened it, they found sets of matching jewelry. Michael adored buying jewelry for women and they loved it. He had good taste. The girls bought Michael a couple of paintings from famous artists.

Ramona got the girls framed pictures of all of them together and she bought Tasha a new stereo system for the studio. Saph is a veterinarian so Ramona bought her a bunch of cute scrubs to work in. Jaz is a web designer and music coordinator so she received a new computer. Ramona really spent a lot on Christmas this year, yet she didn't mind. The simple joy of giving was fantastic! This was the first time she had been paid enough to buy presents for everyone. The most expensive gift was still to come for her tomcat. When the girls left, it was just after 6 in the evening, and her and Michael were left alone.

"So, are you ready for part 2?" she asked him.

He took another sip of his hot chocolate and set it on the kitchen counter. "I still don't know why you think I deserved 2 parts, but sure, impress me," he said with a smirk. She shook her head and pushed him to her couch and handed him a gift. He opened it and stared at it in confusion. It was a piece of paper. He pulled it out and she handed him her reading glasses. He gave her a look before putting them on and reading the paper. "Pick-up receipt for product: Jackson," he read and looked at her. "What did you do?"

"We have a pick up to make and I am borrowing Shawn's truck. Let's go," she said, handing him his coat. He continued to give her a strange look as they got into the truck and headed to a store. "And before you ask, yes I had the store close down for you."

"I…you…how?" he asked in shock.

"You aren't the only one well-known around here," she winked. They finally pulled up to the store and parked near the front. The owner greeted them out front and led them inside. Another worker came out and Michael handed him the paper.

"Ah, nice choice, Mr. Jackson!" he said after he read the product number on the paper. "Right this way," he said. He led Michael and Ramona to the back. "Here we are! We had the pieces polished for you and we will load it for you, no charge," he smiled.

Michael was speechless. It was a giant, golden chess set. The pieces were shining like diamonds. He walked around the set and looked at every intricate detail before he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in.

"Ramona…I…I don't know what to say," he said in a whisper.

"You're welcome," she winked.

"How much did you spend on me?" he asked slowly.

"Enough," she said. "Don't worry about it. Let's get it loaded and back to your place, shall we?" she smiled, trying desperately to change the subject. He finally smiled and hugged her tightly.

The workers carefully packed it up and loaded it into the truck. Ramona and Michael thanked the owner again and wished them a Merry Christmas. Once they got back to Neverland, Shawn and Derek carried the set into Michael's study where he asked. Ramona and Michael set it up together and she stood back and took a picture once Michael was done aligning each piece carefully.

"You're such a perfectionist," she grinned.

"Baby, I was born this way," he winked and she giggled. "Are you ever going to tell me how much you spent on me?"

"Nope," she said, playing with the camera, refusing to look him in the eye. He gave her a look and walked toward her.

"Ramona…" he warned.

"Forget it," she said with a frown.

He stepped in front of her and gave her the puppy dog eyes. "Please?" he whimpered.

Ramona bit the inside of her cheek. She hated it when he gave her that look. Not even Lisa could resist that look, but she knew a way out. She looked up at the ceiling for a moment and smirked. "Oh look, invisible mistletoe!" she smiled. Michael went to look up and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He tensed at first but then relaxed into the kiss, finally releasing her, feeling like someone would walk in at any moment.

"This isn't over, Greene," he said.

"Yeah it is, you just don't realize it yet," she grinned.

On New Years Eve, Michael and Lisa were supposed to make an appearance at a party, so that left Ramona alone at her place. The girls were spending their evening with their families and she hadn't even heard from Luke. She shrugged and relaxed on her couch as she watched the ball dropping on her television. Soon, her door was being banged on and she hesitantly went to the door.

"Who is it?" she asked nervously.

"Ray…it's me…please open the door," she heard Luke say in a shaky voice. She yanked the door open and saw Luke in a way she had never seen him before. He was drunk and he looked horrible.

"What happened to you?" she asked in shock.

"He fired me!" he said in a shout and Ramona jumped back and let him in. He stumbled around and she helped him to the couch and sat him down. "The bastard fired me!"

"Did he say why?" she asked, still in shock.

"No! That's what I don't understand! He asked me for a story yesterday, and I barely had time to finish before turning it in…" he paused and pulled a flask from his jacked and took a big gulp. "He took one glance…one damned glance at it and threw it in the garbage like it was shit!" he yelled.

Ramona was feeling a new emotion burning inside her heart just then. She didn't know what it was or what it meant. Was she feeling his pain now, or was she afraid for him…or afraid of him? No, why would she be? He would never harm her, right?

"Luke, take it easy on that," she lifted a delicate hand to his flask and pulled it away from his mouth.

"You don't know! Don't judge me!" he yelled and jerked his arm away, causing her to fall from the couch. He raised his fist like he was about to hit her and it shook before he slowly put it back down. He looked down at Ramona and saw fear in her eyes and he looked down. "I'm sorry, Ray. Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No," she said quietly. Was he about to hit her? No, he stopped himself. He's not a bad man. "So, what are you going to do now? Would you like me to help you find work?" she asked.

"I don't know how you can. I don't have much experience in anything else," he sighed.

"I could ask Michael…" she said.

"No! I don't need hand outs!" he yelled angrily and Ramona jumped. He sighed and shook his head. "I'm about to lose my place. I can't pay rent…" he paused. "Can I stay with you for a while?" he asked hesitantly.

Ramona thought for a moment. "Of course you can. I'll make up the guest room for you."

"Not your room, huh?" he said with a smirk.

"No," she said simply and he held up his hands.

Pretty soon, Luke had moved in with Ramona and the normally comfortableness of being alone in her home was now tense. She worked with Luke when she wasn't working or at the studio helping Tasha teach her class, and he had no luck in finding work. Every day when she came home, he was passed out on the floor from drinking. When she tried to stop him, he would yell and scream and push her. He raised his hand a few times, but never struck her. Ramona felt something so strange in her heart. Something wasn't right and Michael was out of town.

She could ask for the girls advice, but she also didn't want to cause a fuss. They tend to overdo things when it came to protecting each other. Ramona already knew they would tell her to kick him out, but he had nowhere else to go and she couldn't do that to him.

In the midst of all this, Ramona received a call from a very important woman. She had been approved to become a foster parent. When she broke the news to Luke, he agreed to keep his drinking in check. He began to stay away from the house when kids moved in. Ramona was a wonderful foster mother, and she couldn't wait for Michael to meet them.

When he came home, and she told him the news, he was more than excited and proud of her. "I knew some wheels were turning in that head of yours when we left the orphanage last Christmas," he grinned at her and kissed her head. "I'm so proud of you!"

He also knew about Luke losing his job and moving in with her. He offered to help find him work, but Luke already refused the help once. He offered to make the offer to Luke himself and Ramona grew anxious.

"No, please don't! He doesn't want the help, don't ask him anyway. I don't want him to get mad at me," she said nervously.

Michael made a mental note of her behavior. Ever since Luke had moved in, something inside of her had changed. She was more tense and nervous about everything. The only time he noticed she was loose and herself was when he caught her dancing or when she was around the foster kids.

After a while, Ramona enrolled the kids in school and paid for it herself. She would take them to school in the morning and work all day and Derek or Tasha would pick them up and meet her at the studio. They joined in her dance class. She had 3 foster kids. 2 boys and a girl and they were siblings. The oldest boy was named Robby. He was 10 years old. The 2nd boy was Jackson and he was 8. The young girl was named Jessie, and she was 5. Ramona fell in love with them and she feared the day they would be adopted. She knew she couldn't adopt them herself in her situation.

The kids loved coming to dance class. They were in awe of the way Ramona could move. They stood near the back at first so they wouldn't get hurt. As time progressed, they became better and more brave. During one of their classes, Ramona began to pant more than normal. Sweat poured from every inch of her body and she collapsed in the middle of the dance.

"Ramona!" Tasha yelled and picked her up. "Alright, class is dismissed early, everyone. Have a good night!"

"Is Miss Ramona hurt?" one kid asked.

"No, she's just dehydrated. She will be okay, I promise," Tasha reassured the boy and he left.

"Woo man, I think I overdid it a little," Ramona said as she woke up. She leaned against the mirror and put her hand over her forehead. Tasha gave her a bottle of water and she downed it and asked for another.

"Overdid it? No, what you overdid was your clothes," she said. Robby, Jackson, and Jessie sat around her and watched her every move.

"I'm alright, kids. Just tired," she said as she faked a yawn and they smiled. "That's it, keep smiling," she smirked and rubbed their heads. As they piled into Ramona's car and buckled in, Tasha turned Ramona to face her.

"You're going to end up killing yourself, you know. Why don't you wear some of the new dance clothes the Jacksons got for you? They are better than sweats!" she suggested.

"I would, Tasha, but aren't you forgetting something?" she asked as she pointed to her shoulder. "If I go out in front of the kids in a spaghetti strap shirt, they will all focus on the scar rather than my feet. We don't need a distraction in dance," she said.

"Okay, look I know this lady, she is amazing in the makeup department. Come back tomorrow with your new clothes and I will take care of the rest," she said.

Ramona sighed and then nodded. "Fine, alright…but if I sweat it off…"

"You will be fine," she said. "Now go get the munchkins some dinner and I'll see you tomorrow." She hugged Ramona and headed back inside to lock up. Ramona headed home with the kids and began making dinner for them. The kids sat around the living room watching cartoons and Ramona hit the stereo to turn it on. She danced around the kitchen as she cooked and Luke stumbled in, drunk again, and shook his head.

"You look ridiculous dancing at the stove like that," he grumbled.

She shrugged. "It's what I do."

"You're going to hurt yourself," he warned and she shrugged again. "Damnit woman, don't ignore me!" he yelled and grabbed her arm, whirling her around to face him.

"I can handle myself just fine, Luke. Don't use that language and yell in front of the kids," she softly said, turning back to the stove.

"Christ, Ray they aren't even yours!" he yelled. The kids put their jackets on and went out into the backyard. Ramona always told Robby to take his siblings outside away from violence. They were used to Luke's yelling, so he knew the drill. His real dad was a bitter old drunk and he would beat his mom and him on a regular basis. Robby would take his siblings outside and try to keep an eye out on his foster mom. He made his own plan in his mind. If he ever saw Luke strike her, he would take his siblings and run to Neverland for help.

Ramona continued to ignore him and he grabbed her arm again. "Luke, stop it!" she jerked her arm away and he back handed her across the face. She hit the floor on her knees and held her face in shock. Did he really just do that?

Luke froze in place as he realized what he had just done. "Ray…I'm so…I mean I didn't mean to…oh shit," he cursed.

Back outside, Robby was staring wide-eyed at the back door. Ramona caught a glance at him and then jumped up and ran outside. "Robby, it's alright. I'm okay, I promise!" she hugged him.

"But he…" he stuttered and touched the red mark on her face.

"I know what he did, and he didn't mean it," she tried to assure him. "That's what alcohol does to people."

"So why doesn't he just stop?" he asked.

Ramona winced. She knew his background with his real father and she didn't want him to be put in that position again. The next day she received a call that someone wanted to adopt those kids. It pained her to watch them go, but she knew they were better off away from violence. She had a hard time letting them go, and Luke tried to comfort her, but she found herself flinching every time he came close to her.

That night at the studio, the makeup artist pulled out all of her tricks and covered her scar completely. She was honestly surprised. She also asked her to cover up the bruise on her face, which she did.

"Luke did that to you, didn't he?" Tasha asked.

"It was an accident," she lied as she stretched.

Soon, Michael walked in with his hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. He greeted everyone and smiled at Ramona. She put on her mask and smiled back, but he could read her like a book. Something wasn't right.

"Alright, let's do this," Ramona said. She threw her jacket off revealing her new dance outfit. Michael blinked a few times and the kids giggled and Tasha whistled. She was wearing tight black pants and a spaghetti strap top that ended just below her breasts to reveal her toned stomach. She ignored the looks and began her dance and the others joined in and followed. After the first 2 songs, the kids panted and even Tasha had to sit down. Ramona paused to look at them and then slid on her knees. "May I have the floor? I wanted to try something," she said.

"By all means," Tasha said. Michael leaned against the wall in curiosity. Ramona waited for the music and on the beat, she threw her head back and lifted herself up on her toes and bent herself in ways Tasha didn't think possible. She moved around and kicked her feet over her head, standing on her hands. Michael snapped a couple of pictures and threw Tasha the camera. He was itching to get involved.

He straightened his white tank top and slid into Ramona, grabbing her around the waist and smirked. She smiled back and danced with him. She wrapped a leg around his waist and threw her head back and he smiled. He danced with her for a few moments and they both began to sweat. He dipped her low and she glanced at Tasha as she snapped a picture and then she looked up at Michael. Her makeup was smudged on his tank top.

Her eyes grew wide and she jumped away from him. "Ramona? What's wrong?" Michael asked.

"I…uh…excuse me…" she said as she darted out of the room. Michael called out to her and chased her. She was just able to get a shirt over her top when she came to a small 3-step staircase and she hit them hard and hit the ground.

"Ramona! Are you okay?" Michael jumped the steps and slid next to her, helping her up.

"I'm fine, I think I twisted my ankle though," she winced. Michael pulled her ankle up and looked it over.

"Looks like you bruised it pretty good," he said as he looked up at her. His eyes narrowed when she looked up at him and he touched the side of her face. "You hit your face too," he said quietly. He rubbed his thumb across the bruise lightly and noticed makeup was covering it up. "This is an old bruise. Ramona…what happened?" he asked sternly.

"Nothing," she said, pulling his hand away. "Luke and I were just rough housing yesterday, that's all," she said lightly.

"Don't you lie to me, Ray," he said as he reached his hand up again. She flinched and he pulled his hand back immediately. She has never flinched away from him before. "Ramona…"

"I'm fine, I need to go," she stood up. "I'll explain things later, Mike. I'm sorry…" she said and then ran out.

Michael sighed and lifted himself off the ground and went home. He hadn't heard from Ramona in a few days and he was itching to go over and check on her. Lisa kept trying to convince him she was okay and she would come to him if she needed help. Michael prayed she would. He sat in his study a few nights after his dance with her and Tasha had sent him the picture she took. He framed it and placed it on his table by his reading chair. He sat there leaning his head on his hand looking at the picture.

He sighed. "Babygirl, you better come to me soon. I need to know you're okay."

Just then, Marie knocked on the door. "Pardon me, Michael. You have visitors."

Michael nodded and stood, following her into the living room. There, in the doorway stood Robby, Jackson, and Jessie, followed by a woman standing behind them. He greeted them with a hug and shook the woman's hand.

"Hello, my name is Melissa. I adopted these children while they were under the care of your friend, Ramona," she said politely. Michael could tell she was nervous. Her hand shook as she grasped his hand.

"Nice to meet you. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked with a smile.

Melissa looked down at Robby and nudged him forward. "Robby has been telling me he had something very important to tell you," she said.

Michael bent down to his level and smiled. "What's up, buddy?" he asked.

Robby bit his lip and then looked down. "There's something you need to know."

About thirty minutes later, Michael walked the small family out and stood at the gates fuming. He hid his anger from the children as he thanked them for coming and invited them to come back soon when it got warmer outside. Once the family left, Michael turned and looked at Ramona's house down the street. The garage door was open. He chewed on his lip in anger. He had no question in his mind he needed to go over there and check on her, but what would he say to Luke?

He turned as Derek and Shawn stepped out of the security building to check on him. As he began to speak, he heard yelling from Ramona's house.

_Meanwhile…_

"You went out in public with that bruise and didn't bother to hide it?" Luke grumbled. He had been drinking way more than he ever had and Ramona was having a hard time keeping the distance between them.

"I had makeup on, but I sweat it off dancing," her voice shook as she backed into a wall.

"Dancing…" he grumbled. "Always dancing with you! I told you it was going to get you in trouble one of these days!" he yelled.

"I'm not in trouble…and I can't just stop dancing!" she yelled back and he backhanded her again. She thought he would be apologetic again, but it seemed this time he didn't care that he hurt her.

"Don't you yell at me!" he yelled and pulled her up by her arm. "Now you have to make it up to me," he said.

"Make it up to you? H…how?" she trembled.

"I'm moving into your room, and we are going to take the next step in our relationship…" he moved his body against her and she cringed.

"I've told you before I am not ready to do that," she began to cry.

"I say you are," he reached his hand up and slid it between her legs, rubbing it roughly. Her eyes grew wide and she kneed him hard in the groin and sent him to his knees.

She knew she had done it now and she had to get away somehow. She grabbed her keys and hit the garage door button to open it. "I'm going for a drive and I want you out of here when I get back. We're finished Luke!" she yelled nervously and ran to her car. He stumbled to his feet as she jumped into the driver seat.

"I didn't say you could leave! Get back here!" he yelled and his voice boomed through the garage door. "Ramona!" he yelled and jerked her door open before she could start the car. She screamed and kicked the door hard against him and pinned him against the wall. He slid to the floor and she climbed through the passenger side and bolted out the door. He stumbled to his feet again and ran after her. "Ramona! Get back here you bitch!"

She ran as fast as she could with a bruised ankle toward Neverland. She didn't know if Michael was even home, but she prayed he was. She saw movement near the gates the closer she got, and when she glanced back, she saw Luke gaining on her and he was furious.

Right as she neared the gate, she saw a familiar black hat near the security gate. "Michael!" she yelled. He turned and saw her and tore the gates open. "Michael!" she yelled again. He barely had the gates open when she ran through the gap and into his arms. "You've got to help me, Mike!" she cried. "He's trying to rape me!"

Tears flowed down her cheeks and Derek and Shawn's eyes grew wide with fury. Michael clenched her to him and looked up as Derek reached the gate. "Ramona, you can't hide from me!" he yelled and walked toward her. She tightened her grip on Michael and Michael frowned at him.

"You have no place with her or on my property. Get out of here!" he said angrily.

Derek and Shawn pushed Michael and Ramona back and stood in front of them. "You should leave before you get hurt."

Luke looked at the men carefully and then backed off. "This isn't over, Ramona."

"Yes it is!" she shook against Michael. "I told you I wanted you out of my house and never come back."

"You heard my babygirl, Luke. Get your crap and leave. If you ever come back, you will meet the bad side of the Jacksons…and believe me that is not a side you want to meet," Michael warned.

Luke grumbled and finally left. The group watched as he went back to her place. Ramona cringed as she heard banging and breaking glass in her house. She continued to cling to Michael until a cab showed up and picked him up.

"Don't worry, babygirl. Those things can be replaced," he whispered.

"It's fine. I'm just glad those kids got out when they did," she whispered.

"Me too," Michael whispered to her as he wiped her tears and kissed her forehead. "Let's get you inside and off that ankle. It's all over now."


	24. Chapter 24

"Ramona?" a light voice said. "I brought you something to eat in case you were hungry," Kai said as she brought a tray of breakfast into the guest house. This little house had it all. A bathroom, a game room, and even a small living room with some space to dance. Ramona never used it though. She had been in the guest house for almost a week and she hadn't left it yet.

Michael came to check on her every now and then when he got the chance. Every time he came in, he found her sitting in the same spot, by the window, looking outside with the saddest expression on her face. He began to worry she would never smile again and seeing her so hurt and sad made his heart hurt.

Kai set the tray of food on the table in the small dining room and walked up to Ramona. Every morning, she greeted her and checked on her bruises. She brushed Ramona's hair from her face and noticed tears sliding down Ramona's cheeks. It pained her to see it and she knew there was nothing she could do.

"Are you in any pain?" she asked. Ramona simply shook her head and kept staring out the window. Kai nodded and left. Ramona waited for a few moments before she stood and shuffled her feet to the table. She took a few bites of her food and then went back to her place by the window. It was interesting to her to be able to watch the sky change colors. When it rained, she felt as if she could count the raindrops.

Finally Michael was too edgy and he decided to spend the day locked up with Ramona. He was determined to get her to talk to him. He knew more than anyone what it could do to someone who bottles up their feelings for so long.

He walked in around noon and closed the door behind him. He kissed the top of Ramona's head and sat down next to her and stared out the window with her. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" he asked. She nodded but said nothing. "Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked and she shook her head. He sighed. "Babygirl, I know you're confused and hurting. I am hurting too just seeing you like this. I can help you, if you would open up to me."

He paused and gave her some time to chew on his words and then he reached down and grabbed her hand. He squeezed it tightly and held it and looked back out the window. If time is all she needed, he would be glad to give it to her. They sat there for about 10 minutes before she sighed. Tears began to fall down her pale cheeks and she lay her head on his shoulder. Michael instantly put his arm around her and held her against him.

"I…I wish I knew the words to express the way I feel right now, but I don't even know. It's so much easier to write it than to speak it," she said softly.

"I understand. That's why I'm here. I will help you every step of the way," he said. "What do you feel physically right now?"

Ramona assessed her body and cringed. "My ankle still hurts, my nerves are shot and I feel sick to my stomach," she paused. "I…don't think I even want to dance anymore. I just don't have it in me."

"What are you saying?" he asked, pulling away from her. He turned her to face him and he got on his knees in front of her and held her hands tightly in his. "Of course you have it in you! Babygirl, please listen to me. I know you've been through a lot and I know you're hurting, but that doesn't mean you should give up dancing. That's something you love to do. It's your passion! You cannot give up something you were meant to do. It just doesn't happen. Dancing is in your blood, so please don't give that up!" he begged her.

Ramona looked unsure. "I don't know, Mike. Maybe Luke was right when he told me dancing would get me into trouble. Just look at me now, hiding away in your guest house like a coward," she looked down and another tear slipped.

Michael wiped it away. "That has nothing to do with dancing and you shouldn't even waist your time thinking about him. He's the cause of all of this. Don't listen to anything that sorry excuse for a man may have said to you in the past. It's all over now."

She sighed. "It's kind of hard not to think about him when the bruises on my body seem to throb his name every second," she paused as he frowned. She squeezed his hands. "I'm sorry, Mike. I guess I just need some time to process all of this drama. I'm not used to so much going on all at once."

"I know you aren't," he replied and tilted her chin to look into his eyes. "You need time to heal. I wish I could change all of this, babygirl. I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. You were far too good for him and that is an understatement, believe me."

Ramona sighed again. "Thanks, Michael. And thank you for allowing me to stay here. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Michael smiled weakly. "You're welcome, Ramona. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you either. I thank God every single day for allowing me to have you as my best friend. Such an amazing best friend who is strong, kind, funny, loving, and so many other wonderful things. I don't think I have enough words to describe how wonderful you are. I love you, Ramona. Never forget that," he smiled.

Her face lit up and she finally smiled a little and hugged him tightly. "I love you too, Michael."

"You will get through this, babygirl. I have faith in you, and I will be there when you need me," he smiled and added "pun intended."

She finally cracked a smile and he snickered at her. 'Point for Michael,' he thought.

Some time after Michael finally left, she paced the room in thought. Michael made quite a few good points about Luke and about dancing. Her ankle wasn't hurting as badly as it had the day she twisted it. She thought about going back home, and then fear began to set in. What if he came back for her? What if he raped her or kidnapped her and she never saw Michael again?

"Hm…Michael…" she whispered to herself. She sat down at the table and pulled out a notebook and a pencil and she began to write. She found it much easier to type about this girl with these emotions she couldn't figure out, and then someone came along and showed her how to use them. Then she bit her pencil in thought and she slowly developed an idea for her own life story. She was going to write about this girl who risked her life for a man she didn't know and how she met him. He didn't know who she was and they became friends. Basically it was her story and how she met Michael.

Ramona worked on this story constantly. She stopped when she got a call from her boss demanding new stories. She would stop her story, write a random one and turned it in just so she could get back to her story. Michael soon began working on a new album and he had quite a few places to visit to promote it so he was gone quite often.

One morning, Ramona decided to venture out of the guest house for the first time. She stepped out into the sunlight and breathed in deeply. She missed the sunlight. She carried her notebook and walked around the ranch for a while before sitting near a fountain and writing a new chapter.

"She lives!" Derek yelled from the distance and made Ramona jump. "Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you!"

"It's fine. How are you?" she asked.

"Oh you know me, I never complain. You look a little paler than normal, but better than limping around. How's the ankle?"

"Almost 100% healed now," she smiled. "Could you do me a favor?" she asked hesitantly.

"Sure, you don't even have to ask," he winked.

"Do you think you could accompany me to the park for a while?" she bit her lip shyly and he smiled.

"Perfect day for a stroll around the park! I'll get my shades and meet you out front," he said and walked away happily.

Ramona grinned and shook her head. She ran inside to grab her sunglasses and changed clothes. She scribbled on a note for Michael that she was out with Derek in case he came home while she was gone. Writing notes for Michael, she thought. Almost feels like they were some married couple. Her cheeks lit up at the very thought and she made a mental note of that.

When they got to the park, Derek took on his guard duties seriously and scanned the area. He was very protective over her even if it wasn't his job to do so. He wanted to break Luke's neck for ever laying a hand on her. It infuriated him to no end and he was determined to make Ramona feel safe and free again. Ramona walked around in the park and watched some kids play and smiled. She wrote more of her story and stayed for about an hour and a half before deciding to leave.

"So, where to next?" he asked.

"I don't know. Do you think Mike made it back home yet?" she asked.

"I doubt it. He's supposed to be preparing for rehearsals on his new video," he said.

Ramona chewed on her lip and then sighed. "Can we call the girls? I'd like to go to my house."

Derek almost choked on his water. "Really? You're ready for that?" he asked.

"I…I think so," she said quietly.

"Hey, don't sweat it. I went and had your locks changed the day after he left. Besides, he wont be able to come near the place without one of us seeing him. We put up cameras on every corner of the house and the feed comes back to our security office. You are untouchable, my dear."

Ramona nodded. "Thanks, Derek." She picked up her phone and dialed Tasha. "Hey. Yeah, I'm okay. I know it's been a while. Can you get the girls together and meet me at my place? Uh huh…yeah I'm heading there now. I don't want to do this alone. Okay, thank you. Bye," she hung up. "They will meet us there."

Ramona clinged to her notebook as they finally pulled up in front of her house. She knew she was headed into a disaster area. Derek handed her the new key and she stood frozen in place on her front porch. The girls pulled up in Tasha's SUV and jumped out and hugged her tightly.

"How are you?" Tasha asked.

"Are you okay?" Saph asked.

"We've been so worried!" Jaz added.

"I'm okay. Thanks for coming," she said quietly and turned back to the door. She reached for the knob with shaky hands and her friends surrounded her, placing a hand on her for support. She pushed the door open and gasped at the place. Derek stepped in front of the girls and went in first out of instinct. They had to step over broken chairs and the table. Ramona's eyes welled up when she noticed the statue shattered on the ground. Michael designed this house for her, and it was destroyed.

Anger welled up and then suddenly, she felt fear. She bolted forward to her room and found it still locked. She had locked it to keep Luke out after he moved in. She pulled her key out of her pocket and unlocked it. She sighed in relief to see her portrait of Michael hadn't been touched. Why was she so worried about his picture? She made another mental note before rejoining the group.

"Looks like we have our work cut out for us," Saph grinned.

Ramona's eyes lit up and she hugged them all. They all worked together to clean up the mess and did what they could. The walls still had holes in them and quite a few things were hard to replace. She sighed when they finished and thanked them again.

"Do you want to stay here tonight?" Derek asked her.

Ramona's face turned white and she shook her head. "I don't think I can."

"Okay then," he nodded and locked her house up for her and took her home.

After a few days went by, Ramona gained her color back and Tasha was in the guest house with her. "Okay, get your things together. We are going out, just you and me."

"I thought you had to work?" she asked.

"I do. Now come on, you will love it!" she said. She pushed Ramona out the door and into her SUV. Derek jumped in his car and followed close behind just in case. Michael told him to keep a close eye on her at all times when he couldn't be there to protect her. As they drove toward an unknown destination, Ramona sat back and wrote more on her story. "What are you writing?" Tasha asked.

"My story. Michael suggested I write more since I couldn't exactly express my feelings with my words, so as I started to write, it turned more into a story. I haven't titled it yet, but this story is giving me a new outlook on myself and I am starting to feel things I never felt before." Ramona blushed a little.

"Oh? Like what?" Tasha asked.

"Everyone around me makes me feel a certain way. Good things, you know. But when I write about my times with Michael, I feel jittery. Does that make sense?" she asked.

"Like butterflies in your tummy?" Tasha asked.

"No I just feel nervous. I don't know what flying insects have to do with anything…" Ramona said strangely.

Tasha burst out laughing. "Oh dear, you have so much to learn."

Soon, Tasha pulled up to a studio and Ramona glanced at her. "Tasha…"

Tasha jumped out and tossed Ramona a duffle bag. "Come on, let's get in there. I have a job to do," she said.

Ramona followed her in this huge building and they walked into a dressing room of some kind. She changed into her dancing clothes and gave Ramona a look. "What?"

"Aren't you going to change?" she asked, pointing at the bag.

Ramona unzipped it to find her dancing clothes. She argued with Tasha back and forth before giving in and changing into her dance clothes. She pulled her hair up and had slipped on a sports bra with thick straps to hide her scar.

"Alright, let's go!" Tasha grabbed her by the hand and pulled her out of the room and toward what looked like a stage. This was no studio, Ramona realized. She stopped and watched Tasha run out in front of a bunch of other people. "Let's go!"

Soon, the guitar began to play a familiar song and Tasha began to dance. She went through it a few times and Ramona watched her work in fascination. It looked like fun. What was she thinking? She told herself she would dance no more after Luke…just as she thought about that, she heard Michael's voice in her head. "Dancing is in your blood. Don't give that up!"

Ramona nodded to the beat and the second she memorized the steps, she ran out next to Tasha and danced right next to her. "That's my girl!" Tasha cheered. She looked over Ramona's head and then smiled widely. "You think you have this dance down?" she asked Ramona.

"Yeah, I think so," she said.

Tasha nodded. "Let's take it from the top. Go!"

The drummer counted in and the guitar began. Ramona began to dance when she noticed Tasha move out of the way. Right afterwards, she heard Michael's voice scream out and he appeared next to her and began to sing Black or White.

Ramona hesitated when she felt that jittery feeling. He was dressed in his black pants and white shirt. His hair was down and flowing and he looked so beautiful with the stage lights hitting him like that. Ramona lost focus and stumbled a bit and Michael cut the music.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I guess I'm a bit rusty," she blushed.

"Hm," he thought. "Johnny, let's have a little fun. Play Scream for me," he said. The man behind the headphones nodded and the song began to play. Michael winked at her. He knew she knew this dance by heart. She stood next to him and danced all the way through it and she had never felt more alive.

When they got home, Michael led her to the studio and told her he had something special for her. He wrote a song and recorded it just for her. He called it her theme song and he hit play. After thanking him several times, she found herself a new favorite song. Slave to the Rhythm.

That night in the guest room, she paced in front of her table and wrote more on her story. As she wrote about her running to Michael when she ran from Luke, she dropped her pencil. A series of flashbacks began to strike her mind like a movie. Every moment Michael was there, every bit of love he gave her, all of the comfort, every smile, every time he played with her like a child, all playing back to back. She blinked a few times and then gasped. Realization struck! And for once in her life, she had the right words to use. She bent over her notebook and flipped to a blank page and wrote in big bold letters: **I'm in love with Michael Jackson**

Now that she knew what she felt, she had to decide if she should tell him or not. Then she thought about Lisa. She didn't want to ruin what he had with Lisa. No one deserved that. Ramona plopped down in her chair and sighed. At least now she wasn't so scared of Luke anymore. The next day, she decided to move back home. If she wanted to keep the peace between her and Lisa, she needed to try and make things normal again.

After about a week, Michael invited Ramona to the set of Black or white. She was a little confused when she saw Macaulay Culkin sitting nearby looking innocent. Ramona stuck her tongue out at him when they made eye contact and he giggled and made a face at her. They went back and forth making faces until Michael caught them.

"Am I going to have to separate the two of you?" he asked sarcastically.

"No," Mac said.

"Maybe," Ramona snickered and Mac laughed. "So why did you invite me here?" she asked as she followed him around the set.

"Well, see…I have this plot going on with John Landis, my producer," Michael stopped when they entered a room with a huge table set with a large number of pies and whipped cream.

Ramona put a hand over her mouth and giggled. "Oh, you're bad."

"You know it," he winked and Ramona felt that jittery feeling again.

She followed Michael as the rest of the people joined in and sat down. She listened intently to Mac explain the plan and he even rehearsed it with Michael to make sure they understood each other. Ramona giggled and sat down at the end of the table. Michael left the room and came back with John.

"Come on John," he said reassuringly. "Come join us." 

"I don't know, this looks pretty suspicious," he said with a smirk as Michael led him to his seat.

"So, John, I wanted to thank you and celebrate with you on this wonderful video," Michael started.

Mac snuck up behind him with a pie in his hand and Ramona bit back a giggle. "And John?" he said, tapping his shoulder.

John winced and took off his glasses and turned around. "What Mac?"

Mac creamed him in the face and then the war was on. Pies flew through the air and Ramona ran and dodged the cream flying everywhere. Michael threw a pie at her and hit her in the butt and she nailed him in the side of the head. Michael laughed the loudest out of everyone in there. They chased each other around and Michael jumped to dodge Mac's mad throwing skills. Ramona found an opening and tackled Michael with a pie in her hand. Michael had a pie in his hand and they nailed each other and fell on the floor. Michael had cream all over his face and Ramona only had it in her hair.

"I love your makeup," she giggled as he lay over the top of her.

"Are you jealous? Allow me to help you with that," he said as he smeared his face against hers. She kicked and screamed and giggled and he laughed along with her until they heard a voice clear nearby.

"Michael! What in the world are you doing?" Lisa shrieked. Michael cleared his throat and jumped up and then helped Ramona up.

"Hi Lisa," Ramona giggled. "Want some pie?" she asked and Michael laughed again.

"No I don't! Michael I cant believe you ruined the new shirt I got you! We have to do that interview in less than an hour and you look like…you look like…" she was so mad she couldn't think of the words.

"Like a marshmallow blew up on his face?" Ramona added.

Michael laughed again and Lisa glared daggers at Ramona and stomped off. "I guess Cruella is back," he said. "I'll see you later," he said and gave Ramona a quick kiss on the lips and took off after Lisa.

Ramona shook off the jitters and rubbed her lips together. Oh boy, she was in trouble. A few weeks later, Ramona had gotten to a point in her story where she revealed her love to Michael. She stopped it there and placed 3 periods at the end. She couldn't take it anymore, she had to tell him how she felt. She promised him she would always be honest with him and she intended to be, but how to tell him? She paced and paced in thought.

"I wonder what he's going to say…" she said to herself.

_Meanwhile…_

Lisa and Michael were on his bed and Lisa was trying desperately to seduce him, but he had other things on his mind. Ramona was acting different around him. She had been ever since Tasha got her to dance with him during rehearsals. She was glowing.

"Come on, Mike, get into it," Lisa mumbled against his neck.

Michael pushed her away. "There's nothing to get into, Lisa. Cut it out," he said.

"I don't want to cut it out," she said in a sexy voice. Michael continued to tune her out. Why couldn't he get his mind off of Ramona?

Back at Ramona's, she finally decided she was going to take her unfinished story to Michael and let him read it. He was smart enough to understand what she was trying to tell him, wasn't he? She was tired of sitting around and doing nothing. She threw on her shoes and headed for Neverland. Derek let her in the gates and she made her way to Michael's room. The door was cracked open so she pushed it open a bit to look inside. She froze when she saw Lisa half naked on top of him, kissing his neck. Michael was looking away. Ramona hiccupped accidentally and Lisa and Michael both jumped and looked to see Ramona's retreating form.

"What was I thinking? Oh my God!" she said to herself as she ran out of the house. She dropped her notebook on the porch and ran home without looking back. "Oh man, am I a fool or what? How could I do that to him!" she yelled at herself.

Meanwhile, Michael was trying to calm Lisa down. "She was snooping! What the hell kind of friend is that, anyway? I knew I should never have trusted her!" she yelled and threw on some clothes.

"She is a great friend, don't talk like that. Where are you going?" he asked as he followed her to the front door.

"To give her a piece of my mind!" she stomped out the door and stepped on the notebook on her way out.

"Lisa!" Michael yelled and then looked down at the notebook. It had Ramona's name on it. He opened it and began to read it.

Back at Ramona's, she had been pacing in the living room for a while and she slapped herself. "I'm calling him to apologize." She picked up her kitchen phone and dialed his number and got his answering machine. "Figures," she snorted and waited for the beep. "Listen, Mike, I'm sorry I intruded on you guys like that, I should never have…" she was interrupted when her door was kicked in.

"After all this time…why didn't I realize…" Lisa growled.

Ramona had dropped the phone when her door flew open. "Lisa, what are you doing here?"

"Don't think you can play dumb with me! Why didn't I see it before? You just wanted to take him away from me, didn't you?"

"N…no you got it all wrong," she tried to reason with her.

"Is that why you came to his bedroom late at night? I had that wrong? Ha! Luke was right for what he did to you," she snarled.

"W…what?" she stuttered. "He wanted to rape me…to kill me!" she yelled.

"He should have finished the job!" she yelled as she picked up a piece of wood from the broken door and threw it at Ramona. It hit her in the arm and the winced. Lisa kept yelling at her and throwing things at her. She picked up a large chunk of wood and hit her on the side of the head, knocking her down.

Ramona could see stars. Then she heard another voice. "May I cut in?"

Luke came through the door and Ramona saw his face when a flash of lightning suddenly lit up the sky. He kicked her hard in the side and picked her up by the throat. She barely had the energy to fight back and he threw her down and hit her several times. Her shirt was torn off of her with her scar showing.

"Never did heal pretty, did it?" Lisa sneered.

"No but if she would have stayed away I would have hit my target," Luke growled. Ramona's eyes grew wide and she coughed up some blood.

"Y…you? You were the one?" she asked weakly.

Lisa kicked her in the head and stomped hard on her scar. "Yep, he is the one who pulled that trigger," she said evilly.

"Why?" she gasped. "Why would you allow someone you love to get hurt?"

"You can't get hurt if you're the one behind the gun," she winked at Luke and Ramona felt sick to her stomach. She coughed up more blood and gagged when she saw Lisa kiss Luke very passionately in front of her.

"You disgust me," Ramona forced out. "You don't deserve Michael!"

Luke kicked her in the side and stomped on her scar once more and knocked her unconscious. Lisa and Luke finally left the house and Lisa stopped him right outside and kissed him again. "Next time you use the gun, don't hesitate. And if you come across her again…kill her."

Luke and Lisa disappeared into the stormy night.

Meanwhile, Michael had just finished reading the last line. "She loves me?" he whispered. Just then, he heard a beep and he went to the answering machine. It had a new message and he hit the play button. He heard Ramona apologize followed by a large bang and her scream. Everything Lisa had said along with Luke was recorded. Michael could barely make out the words, but he knew now what he had sensed all along. Lisa had been unfaithful and she was unfaithful with Luke of all people.

She waltzed in the door and froze when she saw the look on his face. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough. You cheated on me…with him?" he shook his head. "Tisk tisk, I thought you knew better than that."

"It's not what you think…" she started.

"What have you done to Ramona?" he asked.

"We had a minor disagreement and we settled it. It's over now. Let's go to bed, shall we?" she asked innocently.

Her voice played loud and clear over the machine. Michael glanced over his shoulder at the machine and raised a brow at her. "Really, Lisa? Really?"

"I know what it sounds like, but I set him straight. I promise I changed, Michael. Let me prove it to you!" she begged.

Michael thought for a moment and then sighed and opened his arms for her. She hesitated and then smiled and walked over to him. She held her arms out to hug him and he slapped her hard across the face. She stumbled back a few feet and grabbed her face.

"You…you didn't just…how is that possible? I thought you were raised better than that!" she yelled.

"True. I was raised to never strike a lady…" he stepped closer to her with rage in his eyes. "But I have no problems putting a bitch in her place. Get your shit and get out of my house. If you come near me or Ramona again, your ass is going to jail along with that boyfriend of yours."

Lisa looked shocked but she did as she was told. As soon as she left, Michael sprinted toward Ramona's. He ran through her door and found her fighting to stand up. She had no shirt on and her back was to him.

"Ramona!"

"I'm okay. It's fine. Go back home to Lisa. I won't ruin things anymore," she winced. Michael shook his head and ran over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. She flinched away from him. "Please don't!"

"I won't leave you, Ramona. Let me help you," he said.

"Go back to Lisa," she said again.

"Lisa is gone for good and I won't leave you."

"Why?" she said angrily. "You were happy with her before I came along. What happened to that?"

"Aren't you listening to me? Damnit, Ramona!" he hit his fist against the wall and Ramona covered her ears and grabbed what was left of her top and threw it on, running outside into the rain. Michael chased her down. "Why can't you use your emotions like you did in your story? Why won't you let anyone in? Damnit why can't you see how much I love you!" he yelled.

Ramona's eyes widened and she turned around. "I…do. I love you, Michael."

"Do you?" he asked and she nodded. "I don't believe you."

"What?" she asked in shock.

"Do you even know the difference between loving and being in love, Ramona?" he asked. He wasn't trying to be as cold as he sounded. He realized while reading her story that he too was in love with her, but he wanted to make sure she was really in love with him.

Ramona's face changed from shock to anger. She trembled and then ripped the rest of her shirt off, revealing her scar to Michael for the first time. "I was the one in Bucharest, Michael! If what I did there wasn't an act of love, I don't know what is!" she yelled.

Michael remained unmoving, staring at her scar. "It was you?" he asked breathlessly.

Ramona moved forward and let him get a closer look. He studied the scar and then placed his hand on it and looked into her eyes. She smiled with tears in her eyes. "I love you. I'm in love with you, Michael."

Michael didn't bother to say anything more. He pulled her to him and kissed her with as much passion as he could give. He slid his tongue across her lips and she opened for him. Their tongues battled each other and both moaned in delight, tasting each other for the first time. Michael pulled away and lifted her up and spun her around, both laughing. Derek snapped a picture from nearby, but they barely noticed the flash of the camera.

They kissed again and moved into Ramona's room, bumping into walls and doors, never breaking the kiss. Ramona fell back on her bed and Michael climbed on top of her, letting her peel off his shirt. He paused when he looked up and noticed himself looking at…well…himself.

"What?" Ramona panted.

"Okay…that's…odd," he said and then shrugged and continued kissing her. They fought to get their clothes off and finally they were joined together as one. Ramona had never felt anything like it before. She was in pure bliss the entire time. They made love all night long and both had never been happier.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: I am soooo sorry it has taken me this long to update. I never intended to drop the bomb on you guys and then leave you all hanging. I have been having issues with the writers block lately. I have a good idea where this story is going, but I need more ideas. If you all can give me ideas, please do. I promise I will give you all credit if I use those ideas. Help your girl out here guys…this chapter isn't the best and its steamy…hehe but I ran out of ideas. Please help! Lol much love guys! Thanks for all the awesome reviews! Keep them coming! **

Ramona was startled awake as her phone buzzed on the night stand by her bed. It vibrated across the table and her eyes popped open. She jerked forward to grab it so it wouldn't wake Michael and she tumbled off of the bed. She grumbled as she shut off the alarm and peaked her head over the side of the bed. Michael barely moved. It didn't wake him. Thank God. Ramona sighed and ran a hand through her messy hair and checked the time on her phone. 5 AM. Perfect. She shut her phone off and set it back on the table before looking again at Michael.

He was lying on his chest with his hands tucked underneath the pillow his head was buried in. He had just as messy hair as she did, but through those frizzy yet somehow still adorable curls, she could see a sweet smile on his face. She smiled brightly as she remembered the night of pure bliss. Was this real? Was she finally with Michael like she'd always desired from the start?

She frowned as she ran through all possibilities. What if he woke up thinking this was all a mistake. She shook her head and stood to her feet. She would just have to wait and see. She was going to prove to Michael she wasn't like Lisa.

Lisa. She growled at the name as she went into the bathroom and got dressed for the day. How could she have been so blind? Lisa and Luke were behind it. They were behind it all. Luke of all people is the one who shot that gun. She winced as her scar began to burn.

Ramona turned around to look in the mirror and gasped. Her entire shoulder was a blend of red and purple, her face was no better. She had dried blood on her head and in her hair. She grumbled and decided to shower. That was horrible in itself. She had small cuts on her head and the shampoo burned the wounds she couldn't even see. She painfully combed through her hair and let it fall to her shoulders wet.

She felt dizzy from the pain. She hadn't realized how much pain she was in because Michael had numbed it all. Then again, the soreness usually comes a day later. Ramona winced at her reflection and snuck out to the kitchen to start breakfast. Just because she was in pain didn't mean she couldn't still spoil Michael. She loved him after all.

She grinned at the thought as she pulled the eggs from the fridge. She paused when she heard a foot tapping behind her. She turned to find Michael standing in her kitchen doorway, leaning against the wall with the bed sheet wrapped loosely around his waist. She bit her lip.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Um…" she mumbled. "Making breakfast?"

Michael glanced at the clock over her head. "You do know it's not even dawn yet, right?"

"So?" she asked as she turned to the stove.

Michael moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "So…you need to come back to bed," he whispered against her neck.

Her knees trembled. "Don't you want something to eat?" she asked innocently.

"Later," he said almost seductively in her ear. She gripped the counter and closed her eyes. "Come on, babygirl…" he said, pulling her by her hips backward into him. He spun her around and kissed her passionately. She mumbled against his lips and he licked her tongue lightly, teasing her.

Ramona couldn't speak. She stumbled forward, following him back into the bedroom. He pulled at her clothes and she found herself naked except for her panties. "Are you sure you're not hungry?"

Michael paused and looked at her strangely. "Why are you so worried about cooking breakfast before the sun rises?"

Ramona shrugged. "Force of habit I suppose."

"That habit dies right here, right now," he said. Ramona began to argue but Michael hushed her with a fierce kiss and moved her hands up over her head. She was numb once again and she was loving it.

"Okay, so when do you want to eat?" she panted.

Michael rolled his eyes and then grinned evilly. He began humming a familiar tune and moving his hips to the rhythm he created. Ramona eyed him as he began moving around her and touching her slightly, licking his lips, his piercing brown eyes burning into hers.

Then he began to sing with his movements.

"Hold my hand, feel the touch of your body cling to mine  
You and me, makin' love all the way through another night  
I remember you and I walking though the park at night  
Kiss and touch, nothing much, let it blow just touch and go…"

He sang as he moved his body against hers. She moved with him, closing her eyes at his touch. He moved her slowly against the wall and pressed his body against hers and she moaned low in her throat.

"Love me more, never leave me alone by house of love  
People talk, people say what we have is just a game  
Oh, I'll never let you go, come here girl  
Just got to make sweet love 'til the break of dawn…"

He pulled her against him and almost moaned himself when he felt her bare chest pressing tightly against his. He was almost glad the sheet was still wrapped around his waist. Ramona was having a hard enough time already, his voice and movements making it worse by the minute.

"I don't want the sun to shine I wanna make love  
Just this magic in your eyes and in my heart  
I don't know what I'm gonna do I can't stop lovin' you  
I won't stop 'til break of dawn makin' love…"

"You're not playing fair," she panted as she moved her body against his, dancing with him slowly and seductively. He smirked and pushed her toward the bed. He pushed her back onto the bed and crawled over the top of her. He licked her lips lightly and moved his way down her body. She shivered as his breath blew against every inch of her.

"Hold my hand, feel the sweat, yes you've got me nervous yet  
Let me groove, let me soothe, let me take you on a cruise  
There's imagination I bet you've never been there before  
Have you ever wanted to dream about those places you've never known…"

He sang breathlessly against her thighs purposely so she would feel his hot breath on her skin. Her legs shook and she let out a moan. Michael stopped and bit his lip, knowing he's the one that caused that sound. Ramona took advantage of this hesitation and grabbed him, flipping him onto his back. She straddled his waist and moved her body over his waist as if she were already connected with him. She moved her body like an ocean wave and began to sing where he left off.

"Let's not wait, the sun is out, let's get up and let's get out  
It's the day, a brand new day, let's both go outside and play  
Let us walk down the park, makin' love 'til it's dark  
Let me move, let me soothe, 'til the break of dawn and you know it's true, oh…"

She groaned the last part as she ground herself into his manhood. He growled and tackled her, pulling her under the covers with him, seconds later losing his bed sheet and her panties. By the time they were finished, the sun was well up into the sky.

Ramona panted next to Michael and he chuckled. She slapped his bare chest lightly and sat up. "So…I try to make my man breakfast, and I am tortured? Seriously?" she said.

Michael sat up next to her and kissed her. "I'll break you of your bad habits yet," he winked.

"Yea well you might have just started a new one," she grinned.

"What?" he asked. She quirked a brow and looked down at his crotch and then wiggled her eyebrows. Michael followed her gaze and then covered himself and nudged her. "Don't get that used to it, woman. I'm not a machine."

Ramona rolled her eyes. "You kind of are, actually."

Michael made a face at her and she giggled. "So…how about that breakfast?" he said almost child-like.

Ramona laughed and jumped out of bed. She ignored the instant pain that shot through her body. Michael was her priority right now. She didn't want to worry him or he wouldn't eat.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yea, just stood up too fast," she joked. She threw on her clothes and made her way into the kitchen.

Michael and Ramona sat together for the first time as a real couple at the dinner table. "This is really good, babygirl. I didn't know you could cook like this."

"Well, now you know," she smiled and stood to clean her plate in the sink.

"Hang on," Michael frowned as he watched Ramona stand up. He noticed she winced when she stood.

"What?" she asked. Michael grabbed her plate from her hand and set it aside. He flipped on the light in the kitchen and then moved Ramona's hair to the other side of her face. He winced when he saw how bruised she was.

"Oh my God," he breathed.

"I'm okay…"

"Don't say that. Where else are you hurt?" he asked. Ramona didn't fight it anymore. Michael was with her now and she was safe. He knew her big secret. She sighed and took his hand, leading him to the bathroom. She shut the door behind him and took off her clothes. Michael watched her intently and then gasped when she pulled her hair up into a high ponytail, letting him see her whole body in the light. Michael's eyes glazed over as he lightly ran his fingertips across ever bruise. He placed a hand lightly over her scar and then kissed it as gently as he could. "How badly are you hurting?"

"It's not so bad right now…" Ramona whispered, leaning her forehead against his shoulder.

Michael tilted her chin up to look into his eyes. "On a scale of 1 to 10."

"Right now, it's a 6," she said weakly. "When I got up this morning, it was a 12."

"Get dressed. I'm taking you to a doctor," Michael said as he looked down at his feet. He turned and walked out of the room leaving Ramona alone in the bathroom. She didn't argue with him. She trusted him more than she trusted herself at this point.

Moments later as she fixed her hair in the mirror to cover her scars, Michael walked in with her coat. She dug through her makeup bag and Michael put his hands on hers to stop her.

"Don't wear makeup. No one will notice," he said softly.

"I don't see how they wouldn't. I wouldn't want people to think I was abused and judge me…" she mumbled.

"They won't dare judge my girl," he smiled weakly at her and she smiled and nodded. He led her outside and handed her his aviators. It covered most of her bruises. They walked out and met Derek in the driveway.

"Hey girl, how are you?" he asked as she hugged him lightly.

"I'm good, how are you?" she smiled sweetly at him.

"Oh you know me, I can't complain," he winked and opened the door for her and Michael.

"You never do," she teased. He stuck his tongue at her and then closed the door, making her laugh again. The ride to town was a little too silent for Ramona. Michael sat still, holding her hand lightly in his and staring out the window. "Please say something," Ramona pleaded quietly.

Michael was almost surprised at her voice. "Baby, I'm not upset with you, if that's what you're thinking," he said sincerely. Ramona looked at him sadly and he gave her a sideways smile and kissed the back of her hand. "I'm just sorry I wasn't there."

"But you were…" she argued.

"Not when I should've been. And I promise you neither of those 2 will ever come near you again. If they do, Luke will have a few bullets in his ass…literally," Michael said angrily.

Ramona bit her lip to keep from giggling. She looked out the window and a little chuckle snuck out. Michael pulled her hand closer to him and she looked back at him.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked.

"You should see your face, tomcat," she giggled.

He raised a brow at her and then smiled at her. "I was being serious."

"I know, I'm sorry. I believe you, it's just so cute when you get mad," she pinched his chin like a kid and he scrunched his face at her. She giggled again. "I love you."

He smiled brightly and kissed her. "I love you more."

"I love you most," she tested him and stuck her tongue out at him.

He grabbed her tongue and smirked. "I love you mostest, therefore I win," he winked.

Ramona pulled her head back and bit his finger. "Cheater."

"Never," he said. He leaned forward and went to whisper in her ear. "And sweetheart, never bite if you cant handle being bitten," he whispered seductively in her ear and then bit down on her neck. Ramona's toes curled instantly and she closed her eyes.

"And never bite back unless you plan to finish what you started later," she groaned.

"I never said I wouldn't finish it," he winked and she rolled her eyes.

Once they got to the doctor, they sat together in the exam room. Ramona was stripped down to a gown and she had gotten cold. Michael pulled her into his lap and wrapped his jacket around her as they waited.

"I'm scared, Michael," she whispered against his chest.

Michael kissed her head. "I know you are, but I will be right here with you."

"I know. Thank you," she said. "I couldn't do any of this without you," she kissed him lightly and he kissed her more passionately. He smirked against her lips and turned her body into his. She straddled his waist and she could feel him getting excited underneath her gown. Michael let out a breath and kissed her neck.

"We shouldn't do this here," he panted.

"Right, sorry…" Ramona moved back to her previous position in his lap and then winced. She stood up and grabbed her shoulder.

"What is it?" Michael stood with her and put his hand over hers.

"Just another pain spell," she swayed a bit and Michael picked her up and carried her to the exam table to lay her down. He placed her on her side and brushed her hair from her face.

"I'm sorry baby. I wish it were me instead of you," he said quietly.

"Don't say that," she winced again and grabbed his hand. "If it had been you, you wouldn't be here with me, and we wouldn't be together right now. I wouldn't know what real love felt like," she smiled at him and he finally smiled back.

Moments later, the doctor came in to examine her. They did several tests on her and drew blood, and took a few x-rays. Nothing seemed broken, but the x-ray did show the bullet buried in her shoulder.

"So, Miss Greene, this here is the cause of the pain," the doctor said, pointing at the bullet on the film. "According to your records from Bucharest, the bullet has burrowed itself into your tendons and tissues. The pain is most likely scar tissue mixed with your body trying to push the bullet out itself."

Ramona winced. "But it can't, can it?"

"I'm afraid not," he said.

Michael paced the room. "What about surgery?"

"I would have to get further advice from a plastic surgeon to see if it can be done, but according to her records from Bucharest, the doctors were unable to retrieve the bullet during the first repair," the doctor said.

Ramona looked at Michael. "What are my options then?"

The doctor took a look at the x-rays again and thought for a moment. "I will meet with some specialists and go over your records with them to see if surgery is possible. Until then, I can prescribe you some strong pain medications and some rehab to help you learn how to work that shoulder to ease the tension of the scar tissue," he suggested.

"Pain meds? You want me to be on…" Ramona choked a bit and looked away. Michael's mouth dropped slightly and he put his arm around Ramona.

"Could you give us a moment, doctor?" he asked. The doctor nodded and stepped out. Michael hugged Ramona tightly and let her cry. "I wish I could say it's alright, but I can't," he whispered.

"Pain meds, Mike? I don't want to risk becoming an addict. I've seen what it does to perfectly good people!" Ramona said.

"Shh," Michael hugged her again and rocked her gently. "I know how you feel, but sometimes the pain gets so unbareable that you won't have much of a choice."

"Given the option of becoming a freaking zombie or sober but in pain, I would rather stay sober," she said almost angrily. She looked away from Michael. She didn't want to take this out on him. She knew why she was freaking out. She saw what her brother went through with pain killers. He became addicted and he was never the same after that. "If I become an addict, I can never dance again."

"You won't become an addict," he said. "I know your will power is stronger than that. And you're too stubborn to stop dancing," he said jokingly. Ramona wouldn't listen. He sighed and took her face in his hands and kissed her passionately. She melted instantly against him. 'Works every time,' he thought.

When he finally broke the kiss, she panted a bit and then looked at him. "Okay, what would you suggest?" she asked after a moment.

"Honestly, I would take the medication for backup. Take the rehab to work with it and see if you can work through the pain. I will help you any way I can, you know I will. If the pain gets too out of hand, you will have the medication on hand," he suggested.

Ramona turned this over in her mind a few times. "What if I…"

"You won't become addicted, babygirl. I won't leave you alone in this, I promise."

Ramona stared into his eyes for a long moment before smiling slightly and then nodded. Michael brushed a hair behind her ear and kissed her softly before letting the doctor know what they've decided.

He wrote the prescriptions for her and handed them to Michael. "Alright, if the pain gets out of control, heat and ice works. Hot baths do wonders as well. Sometimes distraction of the mind does the best. I will have the rehab center call you to set up an appointment and I will call you as soon as I speak with the other specialists," he shook her hand and she nodded. Michael and the doctor stepped out so Ramona could get dressed again. "Mr. Jackson, if her pain should get bad and she won't take the medication, you can bring her to my office. She is no stranger to injections that ease her pain."

Michael nodded and shook his head. "Thank you so much for all your help."

"No problem. Oh may I ask you for your autograph? My wife and I are big fans," the doctor said quietly.

Michael chuckled. "Sure, no problem," he smiled as he signed his autograph for the doctor. He thanked him again and Michael shook his head and went back into the exam room to get Ramona.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she slipped on her shoes.

Michael shook his head and helped her put her jacket on. "The doctor asked me for an autograph," he giggled. "Better get used to this life, babygirl. My fans are everywhere," he winked.

She smiled and shrugged. "Yep, I know. I happen to be one of them."

Michael smiled and kissed her, then wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they headed out to the parking lot. "One of my favorites."


	26. Chapter 26

"Okay, Ramona…now I need you to take this medicine ball and lift it up over your head," the physical therapist said. He and Ramona were sitting in the middle of an open room, mirrors on the far walls and exercise equipment scattered all over the room.

Ramona had been working with this therapist for 2 weeks now. Her shoulder had locked up on her a couple of days after Michael took her to the doctor, so he insisted on making the first appointment himself. Ramona stayed true to her appointments. Michael only had the chance to come with her when they first met the therapist. Thankfully that therapist wasn't star struck.

Ramona had a very difficult time with the exercises. She couldn't move her left arm up over her head without causing so much pain it would cause her to go unconscious. In fact, she had blacked out a few times on her therapist. Luckily they've had a lot of experience with that. Ramona never complained much, but this pain was beginning to get to her. She kept her mouth shut most days, but when she got home, she vented Michael's ear off. She even told him at one point that she was convinced the therapist was trying to kill her. Michael thought she was being ridiculous, so he had decided to make an appearance at today's session. He stood where neither she, nor the therapist could see him watching.

Ramona struggled with the heavy ball and dropped it once she hit half way. "Ugh! This is impossible!" she grumbled.

"That's progress, Ramona. You're doing well. Try again," the therapist pushed her.

"Try again? Are you trying to make me black out again?" she asked.

"No, I just know how far muscles can stretch and I know how stubborn you are. I know you can do it. Come on, push that ball over your head," he said strongly.

Ramona eyed him. "You do know most of the muscles in my shoulder is scar tissue, don't you?"

"That's why you need to work harder on them. Stretch them out. Lift that ball. Pretend it's someone you hate…and that someone fears heights," he tested.

"I don't hate," she said simply. Michael smiled proudly at her. 'That's my girl,' he thought.

The therapist pressed harder. He knew she was dating Michael Jackson. That had to count for something. "Okay, pretend it's Lisa Marie," he said simply.

Ramona, whose eyes were closed trying to fight the pain in her shoulder, suddenly snapped open in shock. Did he really just say that? Michael cringed and sighed. There goes that proud moment.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"By your reactions, I'd say Lisa Marie is the perfect target. Great. Okay, now pretend the ball is her and you are lifting her up over a cliff…" he said.

Ramona couldn't believe her ears. She was utterly disgusted! She really didn't like Lisa, but she'd never cause any harm to her unless she was defending herself or Michael. This guy crossed the line. "How about I take this ball of yours and shove it up your…"

"Babygirl! Be nice!" Michael finally stepped in and interrupted.

Ramona gawked at him. "But Michael…"

Michael cocked his head to the side and folded his arms. She hated it when he gave her that look. She would rebel against any man that ever gave her that look…any man but Michael.

"Mr. Jackson," the therapist greeted him. "We were just finishing up…"

Ramona began to snap at him but Michael stepped in front of her as the therapist stood to his feet. "_You_ are finishing up, actually." The therapist looked at him confused. "I understand you have your own work ethic on how to motivate your patients, but really, hate is the worst use for motivation; especially for Ramona. What you said was completely foul and unnecessary," he said sternly. He turned and helped Ramona to her feet and pulled her against him protectively before turning back to the man. "Thank you for your services, but they are no longer required. I'll pay for today's session, but we won't be back. Next time you should think about your approach when you're trying to motivate. Let's go, babygirl," he said as he pulled her alongside him. Ramona nodded and smirked at the therapist's shocked face as they left the office.

Once they got back to Neverland, Ramona watched Michael curiously. He finally turned and smiled at her. "You're not mad?" she asked.

"No, why would I be mad?" he asked with a chuckle.

Ramona shrugged. "You seemed kind of upset back there," she said carefully.

"I was upset with the way he treated you, yes."

Ramona giggled. "And here I thought I was the one in trouble."

"Well…" he said with his hand under his chin. "You shouldn't really threaten to shove medicine balls up a person's body…" he glanced back at her and once he saw she was holding her breath, he started cracking up.

"You know that's physically impossible, right?" she asked, still laughing.

"Not with the right tools, it isn't," he said. Ramona gasped and smacked his arm. He laughed even harder. "I'm sorry! You left that one open!"

"What am I gonna do with you, Jackson?" she sighed, fixing the collar of his shirt.

He smiled after catching his breath and slipped his arms around her waist. "I don't know, Ms. Greene. What do you want to do with me?" he raised his eyebrows up and down and Ramona smiled.

"I'll give you 3 guesses," she whispered. He smirked and kissed her, pulling her closer to his body. The kiss became heated and Michael grinned and picked her up bridal style, carrying her to his bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind him with his foot and he turned to let Ramona lock the door for him. He carried her up the small staircase and tossed her onto his sequin bed. Ramona nuzzled herself in and he raised a brow at her. "I never thought sequins would be comfortable," she winked.

"I will show you how comfortable it can be," he said in a seductive voice. He climbed on top of her and kissed her passionately, both losing articles of clothing little by little. Before long, they found themselves wrapped up together in that sequin blanket, clothes scattered all over the floor. Ramona sat in his lap facing him, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and his arms around her waist, his hands gripping her butt guiding her movements on top of him.

"You're right," she moaned. "Very comfortable."

Michael moaned against her lips and bucked his hips into her. She threw her head back and he bit down softly on her neck as he came to his breaking point. Ramona dug her nails into the blanket so she wouldn't end up leaving marks on his back. He warned her about that last time they made love. She had left scratch marks on the back of both his arms and back and even the back of his neck. He didn't want to have to keep lying to Karen Faye and tell her Thriller got to rough, when it was really Ramona.

A couple of days later, Michael and Ramona were lounging on her couch when her phone rang. She stretched and jumped off the couch. Michael slapped her butt when she stood up. "Hey…watch it, Jackson," she smirked over her shoulder.

"I am watching it. It's mine, isn't it? And Jackson likey!" he said playfully. Ramona giggled and answered the phone, leaning in the kitchen doorway.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Ramona Greene?" the voice asked.

"Yes it is. May I ask whose calling?" she asked.

"This is Dr. Carmichael. I have some news for you," he said.

"Oh, hold on, do you mind if I put you on speaker? Michael is here too," she said, walking back into the living room and plopping down in Michael's lap.

"No problem," he said.

She turned on the speaker phone and set it on the table in front of the couch and sat up. Michael sat up and pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her bare shoulder. She was quite used to walking around in spaghetti strap shirts when he was around now that he knew her secret. "Okay, Dr. Go ahead."

"Alright. I have discussed your case with the other specialists and with careful consideration, we have concluded that surgery can be done with minimal damage. However we cannot promise you we can retrieve the bullet. To be honest, we won't know what we're dealing with until we get in there," he said honestly.

Ramona looked at Michael and he chewed on his lip. "What are the risks of this procedure?" he asked.

"As with any surgery there is a risk of blood clots, possible nerve damage. Again I can't really say until we actually get in there and see what we're working with," he said.

"How long is the recovery time after this surgery?" Michael asked again. Ramona smiled on the inside. She didn't know anything about medical stuff like he did.

"I would say about 2 to 3 weeks, depending on how you progress in rehab," he said.

Ramona groaned. "No more rehab."

"I'm sorry?" he asked. "Did you attend rehab since we last met?"

"Yes sir," she grumbled.

Michael kissed the side of her neck and made her tension melt. "We had a bad experience with her therapist. Don't get me wrong, she did great for the first 2 weeks, but our last visit was nothing short of unpleasant," Michael said, rubbing Ramona's bare arms soothingly.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I will put in a word for you guys and see that he is taken care of. However the rehab I am talking about will be in the hospital while we keep a close watch on you."

Ramona chewed on this for a moment. "May I choose the therapist this time?" she asked.

"If you wish," the doctor said. "Are you giving me the okay for the surgery then, Ms. Greene?" he asked.

She took a deep breath and looked to Michael for the answer. Michael winked at her and nudged her. She looked down and sighed and put her hands over her face. She was scared. "One moment, doc," Michael said.

"Of course," he said. Michael reached forward and put the call on hold.

"What's going through your mind, babe?" he asked, pulling her hands from her face.

"Is this really my only choice? I've never been under the knife before. What will this do to my dancing abilities?" she asked him as if he had all the answers. He was everything to her. All she had in her life was him and her girlfriends. In her world, Michael did have all the answers.

"It seems like the only logical choice. We need to get you back to normal, if that's what you are," he teased and she gave him a look. He smiled and kissed her. "I know telling you not to be scared doesn't own up to squat, but I have had my fair share of injuries in my lifetime, and I bounced back and never stopped dancing. If I can do it, so can you," he paused and let her think about that for a moment. "If it helps, I will be right next to you through it all," he whispered into her neck and she shivered.

"It helps a lot actually," she sighed as he kissed her neck. She closed her eyes and her toes curled when he continued his assault of open-mouthed kisses up and down her neck and shoulder. "Michael…" she moaned. He didn't stop. She bit her lip knowing the doctor was still on hold. She shoved him back in an instant and grabbed the phone. "Okay, surgery it is."

Michael grinned at her and pulled at her shirt as she spoke on the phone about setting up a time to come to the hospital for pre-op and the paperwork. She stood up and noticed Michael had gotten her shirt off and she was topless, and still on the phone. She raised a brow at him and trotted into the kitchen for a pen and paper to write down the dates and times. As she scribbled, Michael came up behind her and ran his hands up and down her body, grinding himself against her butt and panting low in her ear. She gripped the countertop trying to stay focused when he slipped his hand inside the front of her loose pants, his other hand toying with her chest.

"Okay, sounds great," she panted.

"Are you alright, Ms. Greene? You sound out of breath," the doctor asked.

"I'm fine, I think I need to go take a hot bath. Thanks for calling, doctor. Bye!" she said quickly and hung up. She slammed the phone down on the charger and turned in Michael's arms. He prepared himself to get yelled at, but instead she shoved him against the wall and started her own assault on him. She slid her hand down the front of his pants and gripped him. He groaned and kissed her passionately. They played with each other until he got fed up and ripped the remainder of their clothes off and threw her up on the kitchen counter. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he wasted no time pounding into her.

You would think after Michael telling her he wasn't a machine that he wouldn't be this…excited as often, but apparently not. Ramona hadn't been loved like this before and Michael hadn't felt like this at all with another woman. He had only been with a few, but he was never emotionally into it which made it only last a few minutes. With Ramona, his stamina and Mike Jr. had no problems going on for hours. Ramona didn't mind it herself. The pain in her shoulder never seemed to come to mind when she and Michael were connected in such a strong way.

This was what real unconditional love felt like. She felt sorry for all the girls out there who had no idea what this felt like or what it even was. She had to try to write about this in her story at some point. Maybe she could shed some light on those who don't even know what unconditional love is.

The next day, Michael had to go out to rehearse for a charity show he would be performing for right before Ramona was scheduled to have her surgery. In fact, she was to be admitted into the hospital that same night and have her surgery first thing the next morning. She was getting worried, to say the least.

"Ray…hey, snap out of it," Michael waved in front of her house.

She blinked and shook her head. "I'm sorry, what?"

Michael gave her a look. "I said I love you. I'll be back later on tonight, okay?" he touched her shoulder lightly and she tensed and then nodded.

"Right, okay. I love you too," she fiddled with the end of her shirt.

Michael sighed and pulled her tightly against him. "I know you're scared, baby. Everything will be alright. I'll be with you every step of the way, okay?" He looked down into her eyes and she looked away. Michael could tell she was trying not to cry. He tilted her chin up to look at him and her eyes glazed over. "Okay?" he asked again. She nodded and looked down again and Michael quirked a brow and then buried his face in the side of her neck, assaulting her with kisses and hot air and nipping her lightly with his teeth.

"Okay, okay stop!" she laughed and struggled in his hold. He finally backed away and smirked. "You win. I'm sorry. I haven't been feeling like myself since I haven't been able to dance…"

"And you won't until the doctor says it's okay," he interrupted her and she huffed. "I understand you feel on edge, believe me, I know the feeling. Dancing is in our blood. You just have to do what's best for yourself…" Ramona went to argue and he silenced her with a kiss. "Even though you prefer to torture yourself to please everyone else. Now I have to go. Behave yourself…for me?"

Ramona gave him a look and he widened his eyes and gave his lips a pucker, setting up for the perfect pout. Ramona kissed him, pushing him against the doorway, catching him off guard. He couldn't resist Ramona when she took charge like that. He almost lost himself in her lips until Derek blared the horn just outside. She pouted when he pulled away and he chuckled and pulled at her bottom lip. She smiled and hugged him. "You behave yourself too, tomcat. I love you."

He smiled and kissed her forehead, leaning his head against hers, looking deeply into her eyes. "I love you more."

As soon as he left with Derek, Ramona began pacing her house. Her shoulder was burning. She rubbed it tensely and tried to lay on the couch with her heating pad, but her feet wouldn't sit still. She grumbled and sat up, flipping on the television. She flipped through and found nothing so she left it on a random station as she stared out the back door watching the clouds roll by in the sky. Suddenly a commercial came on and as the music played, Ramona's feet began moving on their own and Ramona smiled. She stood up and flipped to the music channel and danced around a bit, feeling her pain slowly fade in her shoulder. It was so nice, but it wasn't enough. She didn't have enough room here.

She growled and shut the tv off before throwing on her jacket. Screw it, she thought. She jumped in her car and headed into town, not realizing Shawn had seen her leave from his post in Neverland. She pulled up in front of the studio with her duffle bag thrown over her shoulder. She strutted inside and threw her bag across the room, catching the attention of Tasha and her class. She shut off her sterio and glared at Ramona.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing here?" she asked. Ramona shrugged and pulled off her jacket, revealing her dance clothes. The kids smiled brightly while Tasha turned an interesting shade of red. "I do hope you plan on watching the dance class dressed like this…"

"Tasha…turn on the music," she said with a smirk, stretching her limbs out.

Tasha growled and grabbed Ramona by her good arm and dragged her to the back. "Take 5 class," she yelled over her shoulder. She dragged her friend to the back and pushed her against the wall, careful not to hurt her. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"What are you talking about? It's just dancing…" Ramona argued.

"No it isn't just dancing for you, Ray. Come on, you have surgery in less than a week. You can't do this to yourself," she begged.

"Tasha, look…" she breathed. "I am in some kind of funk here, and I can't stand it anymore. Michael has had me cooped up in either my place or Neverland, not letting me move very often. Dancing is in my blood, just like it is in yours and his. I can't stay at home while he's out at rehearsals having one hell of a time, and you here teaching your class…I can't do it," Ramona winced, the pain shooting through her shoulder.

"See, right there…that's why we don't want you doing this to yourself. Michael is just trying to protect you from something he's experienced himself more than once. I haven't experienced it but I see the pain in your eyes. This can't be good for your shoulder…besides, Michael would kill us both if he found out."

"He doesn't have to," Ramona tested her and she frowned. "Hear me out," she held up her hands in defense. "I was at home earlier and my feet lost control when I heard a song on a commercial. A commercial, Tash! I can't ignore this. I danced a tiny bit in my house, quite difficult I might add, and the pain went numb. I can't feel the pain when I'm dancing. Please…" she begged, grabbing Tasha by the arm. "Please let me do this just one day. Give me one day of freedom, I'm begging you…"

Tasha groaned at the look on her face. "Michael isn't going to like this…"

Ramona's eyes lit up knowing she'd won. "Thank you!" she hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek and ran out to the studio.

Tasha rolled her eyes. "I am so dead," she grumbled as she hung her head and joined the rest of the class. "Alright class, Ramona is only back for today. Let's lend her our energy and have some fun. New song, AJ," she called to the side when a boy from the side of the group played with the stereo.

"New song?" Ramona asked.

Tasha took a stance. "You like Chris Brown, right?" she asked.

Ramona nodded as Chris Brown's Turn up the Music began to play. Ramona had never heard this song, but she liked it. The beat pulsated in her veins and the pain in her shoulder seemed to melt into her sweat, and dripped off of her body. She lost herself and kept going long after the class left for the night. Tasha stepped back and let her keep going. She would have stopped her, but her eyes were so lit up with joy, she didn't have the heart.

Suddenly, Michael burst through the door and Tasha stopped him before Ramona noticed him. "I know you're probably mad, but don't stop her."

Michael's face turned a shade of pink for a moment. "Don't stop her? She's…"

"She isn't in pain. Look at her face," she said, pausing to let Michael study her face as she danced her heart out. "Can't you see the joy in her eyes? I've been watching her for any signs of pain and there hasn't been one. Not one, I promise you," she said, hoping he'd listen.

Michael took a deep breath. "I can't blame her and yes, you're right," he paused, clenching and unclenching his fists. He was arguing with himself in his mind. He wanted Ramona to be happy and to keep dancing. He knew how happy it made him and he has been in her place before. He was told a while back he wasn't allowed to perform when he messed up a muscle in his leg. He didn't listen though, and he performed one of his favorite dance numbers in a chair. He almost smiled at the memory until he remembered just how much pain he was in after the show. He shook his head. "No…"

Michael stopped the music and Ramona jumped. "Mike…I um…" she panted, placing a hand over her heart. "I can explain…"

Michael smiled and walked over to her, kissing her softly. "No need to explain anything, sweetheart. I understand," he grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from her face delicately.

"You do?" she asked dumbfounded.

"Of course I do. I've been there, remember?" he asked. Ramona looked away and Tasha leaned against the wall with a smirk. "Let's get you home and washed up."

Ramona hesitated. "Can I have just one more dance?" she asked.

"Ramona, listen…I know you're not in pain now, but it will catch up to you when you stop moving around. Don't cause any more pain to yourself," he said softly.

Ramona sighed. "You won't let me have just one more dance?" she asked innocently and Michael shook his head. He turned to grab her jacket and she looked at him innocently. "Not even if I ask you to dance with me?"

Michael slowly turned and looked at her. "Sweetheart…"

"I miss you," she said quietly, her eyes glazing over. Suddenly Tasha decided to head out. She realized this wasn't an act Ramona was putting on just to get him to allow her to dance just a little more. There was more to it than that.

Michael smiled weakly at her and turned on a slow song for her. He pulled her against him and she smiled at him. "How can I resist a face like that?" he asked. She closed her eyes as he kissed her gently and swayed with her around the room for a few moments. After the song ended, Michael held Ramona against him. He didn't want to let her go. Without warning, the next song began to play. Keep it in the Closet. Ramona looked up at him with a hopeful smile and Michael grinned back. He was too caught up in the moment to pass this up. He threw off his jacket and pulled her tightly against him again, this time dancing very seductively against her.

They spun around the room together, bumping and grinding. Sweat soon dripped from their bodies and Michael panted. "Where's Tasha?" he asked.

"She left a while ago," Ramona panted.

"Is the door locked?" he asked.

He dipped Ramona down and she glanced at the door before he pulled her back up against him. "Yes," she breathed.

He nodded and danced her across the room, pinning her against the farthest wall. He rubbed himself against her and she moaned into his ear. His hands found their way to her pants and he slid them down with little effort. She had his pants pooled around his ankles rather quickly. Before she knew it, he had hitched her up against the wall. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and he slid Mike Jr. into her slowly. She arched her back and moaned as the music continued to play in the background.

An hour later, they were still going at it. Now on the floor, Ramona was riding Michael like a bull. She moved her body with the music and Michael was in a whole different world. He watched the sweat roll off of her toned skin and her hips rolled on top of his like a wave. He raised his hips forward and pushed himself deeper into her, causing her muscles to tighten up around him. They both came to their ends shortly after that.

Ramona rested her head on Michael's chest as they lay on the hardwood floors in puddles of their own sweat. "So…" she panted. "How was rehearsal?"

Michael chuckled. "Nothing like this."


	27. Chapter 27

Ramona sighed in delight as Michael massaged her shoulders lightly, careful not to cause any more pain to her damaged shoulder. She laid her head back on his shoulder and he smirked and kissed the side of her head. They had gotten back to Neverland from the dance studio a little while ago and she hated to admit it, but the pain Michael warned her about started hitting her hard. Michael could see the pain in her eyes and he immediately ran upstairs to run a hot bath. Before she knew it, he was helping her undress and he was getting in the tub with her. Now she was lying against his chest, soaking in the hot water. It was relaxing to say the least.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her softly.

"So much better," she moaned as he massaged his long fingers down her back.

After a while she grew silent and Michael slid his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. They both closed their eyes. Neither of them needed to say anything. They knew what each other was thinking and feeling. They loved moments like these together.

Before long, Ramona began thinking about the surgery that was to happen in a few days. She shook it off as Michael helped her out of the tub and wrapped her in a towel. He draped a towel around his waist and kissed her lightly. "I'm gonna go get us some dinner. Meet me downstairs?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'll be there."

He left the room and changed in his closet before heading downstairs. Ramona stared at herself in the large mirror, slowly letting her towel fall to the floor. She let her eyes roam over her body and suddenly felt 2 inches tall under her own gaze, as if she were afraid of herself. She wasn't really, at least that's what she told herself. She was afraid of what her body would look like after surgery. She began thinking about everything she put her body through since speaking with that doctor, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would do to her body in the long run.

Pain rippled through her body and she bit her tongue as she threw some clothes on. She needed to work through this pain and try to learn how to mask it in front of Michael. He was already hard on himself with the charity concert coming up. She certainly didn't want to make things worse for him. She loved him too much to worry him like that.

She took a deep breath and headed downstairs to join Michael for dinner. Later on that night as they lay in bed, Ramona found herself wide awake. She glanced at the clock and saw it was already 4 in the morning. She winced as another wave of pain shot through her body. She could hardly stand it. She knew she did this to herself by dancing.

Dancing. She closed her eyes and smiled. Oh how she loved dancing. She almost convinced herself to run down to Michael's studio right that second to get more of this dancing out of her system, but she knew she couldn't do that. Michael would have a fit if he found out. Almost like he did at the studio.

'But he didn't freak out,' her mind wandered. 'He let me dance and even danced with me. He must know what it's like being told you can't dance.' She smiled at the thought and glanced at his sleeping form. He was on his back with one arm draped over his bare stomach and the other arm tucked under his pillow. She sighed at the tingling feeling in her stomach. Michael was the only man who has ever made her feel this way, and now she understood what Tasha meant about those butterflies.

Before she could think about insects any further, another ripple of pain struck her. This time she almost groaned out loud. She didn't want to risk waking Michael. He had to rehearse all day tomorrow and he needed his rest, but rest for her was apparently not going to happen. She kicked the blanket off and slid off the bed softly and headed downstairs. She figured walking might help with the pain. She paced the entire house and walked through many rooms before running into Derek.

"Lord have mercy!" she yelped. "Don't scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry," he chuckled. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I couldn't sleep. You?" she asked.

"I hardly ever sleep around here. I have to be on my toes, you know?" he said.

Ramona raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't Shawn take the night shift?"

Derek scratched the back of his head and looked down at his feet. "Yea, that too."

Ramona giggled. "I'm not the only insomniac then. That's nice."

He smiled at her until she winced and tried to shake it off. "Still in pain, I see?" he asked and she nodded slowly. "I wish there was something I could do to help. I guess you should stay away from the dance floor for a while," he said carefully.

Ramona winced at his words. "I wish it were that easy."

"I know it isn't. In fact, it wasn't that long ago that Mike tore a muscle in his leg right before a show. He had to dance in a chair," he smiled at the memory. Ramona gaped at him. She knew he had performed in that chair before, but she never knew the reason why. "He couldn't help himself though. The music got the better of him and he shot to his feet. That was a horrible mistake for him. I was up all night with him for 2 weeks trying to help him heal."

Ramona sighed. "2 weeks? Great…just what I needed to hear." She slouched her shoulders and plopped down on the couch.

"Why don't you just take those pain meds the doctor gave you?" he asked.

Ramona shot him a look. "I don't need them." Another wave of pain hit and she curled up tightly in a ball on the couch and whimpered. "I…don't…need…them," she panted.

Derek grabbed her heating pad and sighed. He glanced over his shoulder with a pained look on his face, not knowing what to do, but also knowing Michael had come down the stairs and heard what she said. Michael grabbed the heating pad from him and nodded his way. Derek patted his shoulder and retreated to his room. Michael sat next to Ramona and began wrapping her shoulder with the heating pad. She kept her head down as she sighed in relief.

"Thanks, but you don't have to do that," she said, still thinking she was speaking to Derek.

"It's my job to take care of you, babe," Michael said softly.

Ramona looked up with fear and worry in her eyes. "Michael…I'm sorry," she said as her eyes welled up.

Michael shook his head with a smile and kissed her head. "What on earth are you apologizing for? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I just don't want to make you worry. You already have so much to think about with this concert," she sniffed as tears began rolling down her cheeks. Michael wiped them away softly with his fingers and shushed her.

"Worrying is what we Jacksons do best, you know," he smirked when he heard her chuckle lightly. "As for the concert, I have everything under control. The show will be amazing and then we will get you taken care of. Once the surgery is over and you're sent back home, I will have a good month off so I can take care of you," he said. She nodded and he pulled her against him and kissed the top of her head, running his fingers through her hair. "We will get you up and dancing in no time."

Ramona rose up and kissed him passionately, sending as much love into it as possible. She placed her hands on his face when they broke the kiss and she smiled. "Thank you. God, I love you so much. I couldn't get through my hectic life without you."

Michael grabbed her hands in his and smiled. "I love you too. I'm always going to be here for you, babygirl. I'd never let you go through any of this alone."

"You are too sweet for your own good, do you know that? How did I ever get so lucky to have you?" she smiled.

He reached out and kissed her lips softly. "I'm not sure, though I think I am the lucky one here."

"Oh I beg to differ," she smirked, rubbing her nose against his.

The next couple of days passed by slowly. Too slowly for Ramona's taste. The pain she felt each day was beginning to wear on her. She spent her days swimming in the pool at Neverland and lying on the couch with her heating pad while Michael was at rehearsals, and she spent her nights with him in the hot bath, receiving his special massages. She hadn't slept hardly at all and Michael didn't admit it, but he was very worried about her.

He paced backstage as the crew took a break and Derek handed him a towel and a bottle of water. "What's up?"

Michael sighed. "I'm worried about her."

"I know you are, Mike. We all are, but what can we do? She won't take her pain killers. Not even Marie can get her to cave," Derek sighed.

Michael tapped his chin. "The doctor did mention an injection she was no stranger to. That's the best I can do. Her surgery is the day after tomorrow," he shrugged.

Derek nodded. "Sounds like a plan," he smiled and handed Michael his phone.

Michael smiled and made a quick call to the doctor. Before long, Michael tossed his phone to Derek and announced he had to leave early if he wanted to get Ramona to the doctor in time. Derek drove him back to Neverland. He jogged up to Marie and greeted her. "Hey, Marie. Is Ramona here?" he asked.

"Yes, she is upstairs in your room, Mr. Jackson," she smiled. "I was able to get her to take some Tylenol to take the edge off of her pain," she added as Michael headed for the stairs.

He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "How bad is it?"

"Tears this time, Mr. Jackson. I'm sorry," she looked down at her feet as Michael winced.

"Thank you," he said quietly as he rushed up the stairs to his bedroom. He found Ramona curled in a ball sleeping on his side of the bed. He smiled when he saw her arms wrapped tightly around his pillow. He leaned over her and moved her hair out of her face. He bent down and kissed her head lightly. "Raybug, sweetie, wake up."

She mumbled and opened her eyes slowly. "Oh, hey. You're home early," she yawned.

"Yea, you need to get dressed. I'm taking you to see the doctor," he said.

"Why? Did he call you? Is something wrong?" she sat up in a panic and Michael rested his hands on her shoulders.

"Relax. I called him. I can't stand to see you in pain anymore. He offered an injection he'd said you've had before. It should ease your pain until the big day," he said softly.

She hesitated. "Do I have to?"

Michael smiled at her. "Will you take the pain killers he gave you?" he asked and she shook her head immediately and he chuckled. "Then yes, you have to."

Ramona groaned and followed Michael out of the bed. She changed and soon they were headed to the doctor. They sat in the cold room once again and Ramona curled up in Michael's lap as they waited for the doctor. She was thankful she wasn't asked to strip down again. She shivered when the doctor walked in with a nurse, who held the big syringe and needle.

"Hello, Ms. Greene, Mr. Jackson," he shook their hands and smiled. "How are you feeling today?"

Ramona tried to focus on the doctor instead of the needle behind him. "I've been better."

"So I've heard. The big day is a few days away. Are you excited?" he asked.

"Oh yea, ecstatic," she snorted and Michael pinched her butt to silence her. She jerked upright and glared at Michael. He gave her a knowing look and she shut her mouth.

"Surgery is not fun, I know, but you will be glad we did this once it's all over," he said as he snapped on his gloves. "Now, come sit up on the table and remove your shirt, please."

Ramona sighed and did as he asked. Michael whistled at her when she took her shirt off and she threw it at him. He caught it, laughing. The doctor and nurse giggled quietly as they quietly cleaned her shoulder off and prepared her for the injection.

"So, you've had this injection before, correct?" he asked.

"Yes," she said softly. She wiggled her toes and fidgeted nervously. It didn't matter if she'd done it before, she knew it hurt. This wasn't a normal shot after all. This needle went deep into her tissues. Michael stood and pulled up a chair in front of her, taking her shaking hands in his and he kissed the backs and palms of her hands. Her eyes softened when she focused her attention on his loving brown eyes.

"Okay, here we go," the doctor counted down and then shoved the needle into her shoulder. Ramona winced and squeezed Michael's hands. Her breathing quickened and Michael rubbed her hands softly.

"Babygirl, look at me," he said softly. Ramona opened her eyes and focused on him again. "What would you say if I told you we're going on vacation when you're healed enough, just you and me?"

Ramona's eyes lit up a bit. "Really?"

Michael smiled. "Really. How does Paris sound?" he asked.

She grinned lightly and nodded. "I think it sounds perfect. The city of love."

"Perfect city to take my love," he said lovingly. He reached up and touched her face softly as the doctor removed the needle and patched her up. She never flinched. "I love you."

Ramona smiled. "I love you too."

"Okay, all done. The soreness of the injection will wear off in a couple of hours, but the pain should subside and should stay that way until we can get you into the hospital," the doctor said. Ramona nodded and put her shirt back on. Her shoulder did feel better, and it was all thanks to Michael.

As they stepped outside the clinic, Michael's phone went off. He released Ramona's hand to answer it. "Hello? Yes?...Really? Right now?...Yea, okay…I'll be right there."

Ramona glanced at him as Derek pulled up to pick them up. "Was that the studio?"

Michael nodded as they climbed into the SUV and pinched the bridge of his nose. "They need me back at rehearsals. Something came up that needs my urgent attention," he mocked the directors voice and Ramona giggled. "Derek, would you mind?"

"Yea, it's cool, Mike. I'll drop you off and take Ramona home," he said as he drove.

"Thank you," he said, grabbing Ramona's hand in his. He played with her hands silently as they drove back to the Staples Center. Once they pulled up, Michael sighed and kissed Ramona passionately. "I'll call you when I can, okay? Your place tonight?" he asked as he brushed a strand of her hair from her face.

She nodded and played with one of his curls in front of his face. "I'll be there," she smiled. "I love you…so much," she said, leaning her forehead against his.

"I love you more," he winked and poked her nose. He slipped out and into the arena and Ramona sighed and crawled into the passenger seat next to Derek.

"Okay, so I will take you back home and then I have to go get a few groceries before I will head back to the arena. Do you need anything while I'm out?" he asked.

"Actually, do you mind if I come along? I'd like to make a nice dinner for Michael tonight," she smiled.

"I don't mind at all. Always a pleasure having you as my company," he smiled.

Ramona and Derek ventured through the store and piled up 2 grocery carts full of different foods. Ramona stood in an aisle trying to decide what to cook for Michael when her phone rang. She smiled when she saw the caller id.

"Hey sweetheart," she answered.

"Hey baby, what are you up to? How's your shoulder?" Michael asked.

"Derek and I decided to stop at the grocery store. My shoulder is fine. How's rehearsal going?" she asked.

"It's rehearsal," he snorted and then smiled when he heard Ramona giggle. "What are you doing at the store?"

"Shopping," she teased. He snorted and she rolled her eyes. "I'm getting items for dinner tonight. What do you want to eat, by the way?"

Michael bit back a grin. It was almost like they were married and she was asking him what he'd like for dinner. He shook his head. "Aw, you know what I like, babygirl. Surprise me."

Ramona grinned. "That's true, but I can't put myself in the oven, dear. I already have surgery to look forward to, so I prefer not to have to get treated for 3rd degree burns."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Now babe, you know that's not what I meant. I wouldn't want you in an oven!"

Ramona giggled. "I know. Okay I'll see you later then, tomcat. Love you," she blushed at her own words.

"Love you most," he smirked.

"Cheater," she laughed.

"Never," he retorted and then chuckled before hanging up.

After she put away her groceries at home, she began making dinner. She pulled her hair up and dug into her project for the night. She made a new flavor of organic chicken and added special seasoning to make the taste even better. She added a side of mixed vegetables and corn on the cob. Then she pulled out sparkling grape soda and 2 wine glasses. She had both plates made and the table set by the time Michael waltzed in the door.

"Honey, I'm home," he called out and then froze when he saw the table.

"Welcome home, dear," Ramona smiled. She kissed him softly and took his jacket off, hanging it in the closet.

"This looks incredible!" he gaped and then snapped out of it when Ramona wrapped her arms around his waist. "And you tell me you're the lucky one?" he asked. She shrugged and he shook his head and kissed her passionately.

They sat down to dinner quietly and ate. Michael told her how rehearsals were going and Ramona told him how strange it was to not be in pain all the time. Once dinner was over and everything was cleaned up, the couple sat up watching tv in bed together. Michael nuzzled Ramona's neck and she sighed happily against him. She turned her head to kiss him and he deepened the kiss, slowly moving his body over the top of her.

"Um, Mike?" she stopped him.

He rose up on his forearms over her. "What's wrong? Are you hurting again?"

"No, it's not that. The doctor called me while you were gone and he told me I needed to take it easy until surgery," she said, blushing lightly.

"I could've told you that," he said, kissing her again.

She pulled away. "That includes intimacy."

Michael pulled away blushing. "Oh."

"I'm sorry baby," she played with his hair and he smiled.

"Don't be sorry. Your health comes first," he whispered to her and she smiled.

"And you wonder why I call myself the lucky one?" she mocked him.

The next day after Michael left with Derek, the girls showed up at the door and shoved Ramona into her bedroom.

"Get dressed," Saph ordered as she shoved her toward her closet.

"And wear something sexy," Jaz added with a wink.

"Oh no, where are you dragging me?" Ramona whined as she duh through her closet.

"You will find out when we get there, now hurry up," Tasha snapped.

Ramona rolled her eyes and pulled out her black slacks and a white tank top and the girls all shook their heads. "What?" she asked.

"Something sexy, not professional. Must I do everything?" Jaz complained and dug through her closet. She pulled out a short red dress with black trimming around the bust and edges. It ended about mid thigh. Saph whistled and dug out Ramona's red shoes with black heels. "This is much better."

Ramona's eyed grew wide. "Oh man, where did this outfit come from?" she blushed.

"I see you found my surprise," Janet came waltzing in and hugged the girls.

"Dunk…why are you doing this to me?" Ramona continued to whine.

Janet rolled her eyes. "Oh hush up and come with me. Let's do your hair and makeup," she winked.

Ramona groaned but gave in, letting herself be dolled up by her 4 best friends. She couldn't help but smile when her makeup and hair was done. Tasha curled her hair for her and Janet did an amazing job covering up her scar. She smiled in the mirror once her dress was on and the girls grinned.

"Alrighty then, let's get going, shall we?" Janet said as they rushed out the door. Ramona decided to just go with it. She would have never gone out into public wearing something like this, but she had to admit the way the girls dolled her up made her feeling pretty good about herself.

They piled into Janet's car and Shawn followed closely behind as they drove downtown. Janet found a nice little club and Ramona smiled brightly. "See that?" Tasha pointed out. Saph pulled out a compact mirror and showed Ramona her reflection. "That's why we're doing this. To get your mind off of surgery."

"Yea, let's loosen up and have some fun, like the old days," Jaz grinned and Ramona hugged her friends.

Shawn and a few of Janet's body guards remained close by as the girls drank some and danced like they used to in high school. Shawn kept giving Ramona these warning looks to remind her she had to take it easy and she rolled her eyes at him every time. She was out here to have fun, wasn't she? Besides, she had that injection and she was feeling great.

Soon, the girls had to leave. Janet had an urgent phone call from someone at the recording studio she had to go take care of, and the 3 other girls had to leave on job duty. Ramona nodded as she said her goodbyes. She was thankful her new boss hadn't decided to jump on her case about not writing anything for a while. Shawn kept an eye on her as she decided to have one last dance before she would head out. As she moved away from the bar, a rather large looking man approached her, smelling like alcohol.

"Hey sweet thing, you wanna dance?" he slurred his speech and Ramona almost gagged.

"I do, but not with anyone. I am a lone dancer…"

Before she could say another word, he leaned into her and she leaned back, feeling very uncomfortable. "Come on baby, I'm not asking you to come home with me. I'll leave that one up to you. Just one dance…"

"The only man I will ever dance with is…"

She was interrupted by another man jogging up and placing himself in between the drunk man and Ramona. "Dude, Mark…what are you doing? Do you have a death wish or something?"

The man named Mark furrowed his eyebrows at the other man. "What the hell man? I was about to talk her into a dance," he stuttered and Ramona gagged.

"Not with her. Don't you know who that is?" he asked. Ramona raised an eyebrow as both men studied her for a moment. "That's Ramona Greene. As in LA Times, Ramona Greene," he paused to let his words sink into his friend's head. Mark blinked in confusion and his friend rolled his eyes. "As in Michael Jackson's girlfriend, Ramona Greene?"

Mark's eyes widened and he shot up from his chair, backing away from Ramona with his hands up in defense. "I am so sorry, I had no idea. Please give Mr. Jackson my regards," he stumbled backward until he bumped into Shawn. "Watch it, Paul Bunyan…" he grumbled and Shawn's eyes narrowed at him.

"Careful Mark," Ramona spoke up and Mark turned to look at her. "Paul Bunyan there is my body guard, and Michael's."

Mark turned pale and turned to run when he tripped over another chair. Everyone around him laughed and Ramona shook her head. Shawn rolled his eyes and walked up to Ramona, noticing she was now rubbing her temples furiously. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, can we just go? That put me in a horrible mood," she grumbled and he nodded, taking her hand and leading her from the club.

As they drove back through town, they passed a busy restaurant and she noticed Jermaine outside, surrounded by fans and paparazzi. "Shawn, pull over."

Shawn pulled off across the street from the place and rolled down his windows, watching Jermaine as closely as Ramona was. Jermaine seemed to be having trouble with a girl that, by the looks of it, had no idea what personal space meant.

"Miss, I appreciate your support, but I don't date my fans," Jermaine said politely.

"Oh, come on, I know back in the day you slept with some of your fans," she said, moving her body against his. He winced and tried to pull her hands away.

"And I thought Michael had it bad," Ramona thought outloud. Shawn shook his head. Apparently he was used to seeing this.

"Don't let it surprise you. Jermaine was always known as the heart throb of the Jackson Five. They've all had worse, but I suppose it gets harder as the girls get older and more persistant," he said, watching the scene unfold before them.

Ramona looked down for a second and opened the door. Before Shawn could say a word, she was at the driver's side door. "Let me borrow your wedding ring real quick." Shawn handed it to her and she ran across the street. "Jermaine!" she called out and Jermaine almost winced again. No more women, please, he thought. Ramona called out again. "Yo…Erms!"

Jermaine's eyes widened, knowing only 2 people that called him that. "Ramona? What are you doing here?" he asked as she ran up to him. The fan girl eyed her wearily.

She held the ring out to him. "You left your wedding ring behind. Your wife would have a fit if she found out," Ramona said.

Jermaine blinked and took it hesitantly. The fan girl huffed. "Sounds like a controlling wench."

Ramona shot her a look. "Not controlling. Pregnancy hormones get the better of her sometimes, but Jermaine takes real good care of her, don't you big brother?" she cooed and Jermaine blushed, finally catching on to Ramona's act.

"Right, thanks Ramona. I owe you one," he slipped on the ring and hugged her.

She whispered in his ear. "Give it back to Shawn when you're done."

Satisfied she had run the girl off, she turned back to walk back to the car when she heard the fan girl open her big mouth once again. "Oh poo. Well…at least there is still one more Jackson that isn't off the market. Michael…" she said dreamly.

"Don't even think about it. My brother has a girlfriend," Jermaine warned her.

"But he isn't married, so technically he's still available," she smiled.

"He's in love with the one he's with," Jermaine tried again.

"Well, I don't see her staking her claim here, so it's a free for all, I believe," she sneered.

Jermaine grumbled as Ramona was already back at his side. He put his arm in front of her to keep her from saying something she'd regret. "Well, that's where you're wrong, again," Jermaine smiled. "This here is Ramona Greene, my brother's girlfriend."

The girl's eyes widened and she backed away into the crowd before cameras began flashing insanely. Great. The secret was out on who Michael was dating. Jermaine was pulled away from Ramona by his guards and Ramona looked around, not sure what to do.

"Shawn!" she yelled out.

"I got you, girl," he wrapped his huge arm around her shoulders and pulled her out of the center of the crowd, shielding her from the crazy blood-sucking media. She jumped in the back seat of the SUV and they drove off. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yea," she breathed.

As they arrived home, Saph and Jaz were there waiting for her. "Hey, we wanted to apologize for leaving you at the club earlier," Jaz said.

"It's alright," she smiled. "Duty calls."

Saph stared over Ramona's shoulder for a moment with a confused look on her face and Ramona looked behind her, seeing what she was staring at. Michael's shoes were lying on the grass at the base of the tree in front of her house.

"Where's…?" she spoke as she scaled the tree with her eyes and finally spotted Michael standing on her roof. "Michael? What are you doing? Get down!"

They ran to the side of the house to get a better look and found him standing high, hands on his hips, with a towel tied around his neck like a cape. "Who is this Michael you speak of?" he asked in a deep voice. "I'm Thriller Man! Duh duh duh duhhh!" he sang. The girls giggled loudly at him and he kept a straight face. "Able to thrill millions with one single circular motion of the finger," he added while twirling his finger. Ramona rolled her eyes at him but continued laughing with the others.

"Okay, Thriller man…whatever. I'll see you inside," she picked up his shoes and walked to the door and he jumped down and ran past her inside the house. "What the…?" When she stepped inside, she gasped. Her entire living room had been transformed into one giant blanket fort. Michael was nowhere to be seen. "Michael?"

"There is no Michael…only Thor!" he growled out from somewhere in the fort.

Ramona giggled. "Okay if you don't come out, then I will have to come in after you!" she laughed as she crawled inside looking for him. As she arrived in the middle, she heard her friends come in the door.

"Ramona? Woa, what is this?" Saph said.

Jaz giggled and nudged her. "Get your camera out, quick!" she said. Saph snatched open her camera just as Ramona popped out from the center of the fort.

Michael suddenly shot up and wrapped his arms around her neck. "Now she is my prisoner! Muahaha! No one can save you now!" he growled. Then, with one of his arms, he acted like another arm grabbed him and pulled him under the fort again. He growled and made several noises. Ramona froze as the fort moved around her. After a moment, Michael popped back out with his cape back on, hands back on his hips. "You are safe now, pretty lady!"

Ramona gave him a strange look. "Michael…"

He placed his finger over her lips. "Shh…no need to thank me miss. All in the job for Thriller Man! Duh duh duh duhhh!" he sang and then jumped over the fort and ran into the bedroom making a woosh sound. Ramona blinked a few times and glanced at Saph.

"Please tell me you got all that?" she asked.

Saph flipped her camera closed and nodded. "Every bit of it."

"Wait a minute! If that ends up on the internet, I will not be pleased!" Michael came running back out without his cape. The girls fell over laughing hysterically. One thing was for sure, whether Michael had lost his mind or not, her friends and her boyfriend had gotten what they wanted. She had completely forgotten about the big surgery tomorrow.

"I love you guys so much," she smiled as she hugged everyone. Then she turned to Michael and kissed him passionately. "And thank you for saving me, Thriller Man," she winked. He raised his eyebrows up and down and grinned as he dipped her low and kissed her again.

"You're welcome, pretty lady."


	28. Chapter 28

"I'm serious, Ramona. If that video ends up on YouTube…" Michael stood with one hand on his hip and the other hand pointing at Ramona and the girls.

Ramona shrugged. "Well, I think you should take that up with Saph and Jaz," she winked at him. He almost missed her hint and then grinned evilly. The girls looked at each other before looking back at Michael.

"Hm, sweetheart…" he moved to Ramona's side and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the side of her neck sweetly. "Where did you put my toys?"

Ramona smirked. "Hall closet, left side." He nodded and went for the closet and Ramona grabbed his arm. "But first…" she pulled the cape from his neck. "Wouldn't want you to get hung up on anything," she winked and kissed him softly on the lips. He smiled and winked at her before he dug head first into the closet.

"What is he doing?" Saph asked.

Ramona grinned and shrugged before plopping down on the chair beside her. "Ramona…" Jaz huffed.

"Jaz," Ramona huffed back with the same tone. The girls gave her an evil look and she grinned, knowing what was gonna happen next. She glanced at her watch and looked over her shoulder at Michael, seeing him finally get his hands on his toys. "I suggest you girls make a run for it in about…3 seconds," she smiled.

"Or what, might I ask?" Saph challenged.

"3…2…" she paused and the girls began backing up toward the front door. "…1!"

Suddenly, Michael spun around on his heels with 2 very large water guns on each hip. The girls squealed and took off out the front door and Michael gave chase immediately. Ramona laughed and snatched up Saph's camera that she had dropped on the couch before she ran away. She pulled out the memory card and replaced it with one of her own so she could record the fun. She hung it around her neck and ran outside to watch Michael chase her 2 best friends.

"Michael, don't you dare!" Saph snapped at him from her place behind the tree.

"Are you telling me what to do Sapphire?" Michael challenged, aiming a gun at her. Saph's eyes widened. "Didn't think so…and you!" he pointed his other gun to the side, aiming at Jaz, who was smug thinking he had forgotten about her. "Don't think you're off the hook either. Where's the tape?"

"What tape?" Jaz asked innocently.

"Wrong answer," Michael smirked and shot Jaz in the face. She shrieked and took off running. He snickered to himself and turned back to Saph. "Your turn. Where is the tape?"

"Not in my hands," she said. Michael shook his head and aimed it at her and she threw her hands up. "Wait! I'm not lying, see? You wouldn't shoot an honest woman, would you, Thriller Man?" she bat her eyes and Michael raised a brow.

"He wouldn't, but Thriller Woman might!" Ramona yelled from the side. Everyone glanced at Ramona and Michael almost fell over from laughing. The cape he had on previously was now wrapped around Ramona's neck and she had her own water gun on her hip. She ran out beside Michael and shot Saph in the chest.

"Oh my God! Ray!" she shrieked. "Whose side are you on, anyway?"

Ramona grinned and slid next to Michael, handing him the memory card with the embarrassing video on it. He smirked and slid his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. "Well, let's see…" Ramona tapped her chin. "You guys dance with me and keep me sane…yet Michael dances with me, and gives me a special kind of lovin' that neither of you could give, without freaking everyone out…so for now I'm gonna say his side."

Michael blushed a deep red and the girls' mouths dropped open. "That's not even fair!" Jaz protested.

Michael and Ramona both rolled their eyes with a laugh. They aimed their guns at the girls and they shrieked again and took off running. Before they could give chase, Michael's phone went off.

"Oh…doo doo. Just when it was getting good…" he grumbled and excused himself to answer his phone. When he returned, the girls had come back to the porch and were currently wringing out their soaked clothes and hair. He kissed Ramona's cheek and smiled at the girls. "Forgive me ladies, but I have to head back to rehearsals for a while. It's been real!" he threw the peace sign at the girls and they snarled at him and walked inside. "Well!" he threw his hand to his chest as if that hurt his feelings.

Ramona giggled. "Alright, well you better go before Kenny has a heart attack. Come back to me soon, okay?" she smiled and he nodded.

"As long as you're here," he paused and pulled her against his body. She looked down bashfully and he tilted her chin up to look into his eyes. "I will always come back to you," he whispered and then kissed her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his neck and almost moaned into his lips. He had this way of kissing her that seemed to always cause her toes to curl and those flying insects to stir in her stomach.

"I will always be here when you're around," she said softly after they parted.

"Ditto," he smirked and pulled away as Derek pulled up and waved. Ramona waved back and smiled at Michael. He kissed her again and poked her nose gently. "I love you, babygirl."

She laced her fingers with his. "I love you too, tomcat. Forever?" she asked as he walked backwards towards the SUV.

"And always," he replied. He blew her one last kiss before climbing into the SUV and driving away.

Ramona sighed deeply when he was out of sight. This was the part she dreaded most. Him leaving her alone with her thoughts. The girls would be leaving any moment now as well. She would be going to the hospital to be admitted tomorrow while Michael was out doing his concert. She wanted to cancel this so many times. God knows she would rather be in the audience cheering her man on instead of being poked and prodded in a small hospital bed that was in no way at all comfortable.

"Hey, we're headed out girl. See you tomorrow at the hospital?" Saph rubbed her arm as they walked out.

"Don't remind me," Ramona grumbled. She sighed heavily and kept her head down.

"You gonna be okay without us tonight?" Jaz asked.

"I'll be fine," she put on a fake smile for the girls. "Besides, if worst comes to worst, I'll just run next door and lock myself in the dance studio."

"As long as you don't overdo it," Saph warned. "I don't want to receive a call saying you put yourself in the hospital a day ahead of schedule."

Ramona shook her head and punched her lightly in the arm. "Shut up. I'll be okay, I promise."

"If it gets to be too much, call us, okay? We will come and be with you if you need it," Jaz offered. Ramona nodded. "Promise us you will call?"

"Yes, yes I promise if I need you I will call. Now go!" she pushed them toward their cars and laughed with them. They finally pulled out of her driveway and took off. She sighed once again and headed back inside. Night wouldn't even fall for a few hours, and there was no telling how late Michael would be.

Within half an hour, Ramona had gone from watching television, to writing, to reading, to pacing…and finally she gave up and headed next door to the dance studio. Maria buzzed her in and she immediately went to Michael's room, pausing to smell his pillow. She loved his natural scent. She closed her eyes and ran her hand over his things, careful not to move anything. When her hand met one of his favorite smells, Black Orchid, she smiled and sprayed her neck with it, sighing deeply once her Michael's smell was all over her.

Now she could loosen up. She walked to his drawer and found some wraps for her feet, what she loved dancing with. It helped her keep balanced when she moved her ankles into certain positions. She closed the drawer and headed straight to the studio. Her music was left here, so she simply hit play once she arrived. The music played slowly, helping her warm up. She pulled off her top and left her in her baggy black shorts and her small pink spaghetti strap shirt. She wrapped the black fabric from the balls of her feet, skipping over the heels, and up her calves. When she was sure it was secure, she stood and stretched before the beat picked up with a new song. She began moving her body across the floor, catching a whiff of Michael's smell when she flipped her hair a certain way. She smiled and did it more and more.

Within a couple of hours, she finally gave herself a break. She stared at herself in the mirror and the dull pain began to ache in her shoulder once again. She shook her head. The doctor said it would last her until she got to the hospital. Then again, she wasn't exactly taking it easy. As her mind drifted back over the dreaded word "hospital", she began to feel sick to her stomach. She looked at her scar, watching her sweat drip down her skin and winced. She would have to start over once this surgery was over. Back to cleaning her stitches and being careful when she cleaned herself. She hated it.

She growled low and moved to a room connected to the studio. It was a red velvet room where Michael came to sit and clear his mind. The walls were padded so he could lean against the wall comfortably. Ramona slammed her back against the far wall and slid down, placing her hand over her head. She could feel the anxiety inside of her welling up. She didn't know if she could go through with this surgery.

Her leg began twitching and she sighed and lifted it up, pointing her foot straight up into the air to stretch out her muscles. She sighed deeply as a flash of a camera startled her. She jerked upright to find Jermaine standing there with Michael's camera in his hands.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he smiled.

"Oh no, you're fine. What are you doing here?" she asked, sitting up.

Jermaine pulled up a chair and flipped it backward, sitting on it and resting his arms on the back of the chair. "I just came to check up on you and my brother. How you feeling girl?"

Ramona smiled weakly. "I'm okay. How are you?"

"I'm great, but you know I'm always great," he beamed and brushed his shoulders off. Ramona rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry about what happened the other night…you know, with the fan girl," he said softly.

"It wasn't your fault. I'm glad you weren't hurt," she smiled.

"Ah I'm a Jackson. I've been through a hell of a lot worse than that," he smiled and she chuckled. "Thank you for what you did. I'm just sorry I let the word out of who you are. The media will be following you for the rest of your life now because of me."

Ramona looked down. "Don't be so hard on yourself. They were bound to figure me out eventually. Besides," she shrugged. "They haven't connected me to the Bucharest show."

"Yet," Jermaine sighed. He shook his head and decided to change the subject. "So, the reason I'm here is I wanted to invite you and Mike out to Tennessee as soon as you get back up on your feet."

"What's in Tennessee?" she asked.

"Our family owns this huge ranch out there full of horses. Mike tells me you love animals, horses especially. Would you like to come out there with the family and go for a nice ride?" he asked her.

Her eyes lit up. "That would be incredible! Thank you so much, Erms!" she jumped up and hugged him tightly.

"No problem. We all see you as family already girl. Anything you ever need, just ask for it," he winked and she blushed. "And we will be there for you while you're imprisoned in the hospital."

She groaned and he laughed. "Thank you so much," she kissed his cheek.

"Anything for the girl that stole my brother's heart," he winked. "See you soon, love!" he rubbed her head and headed out.

By the time night had fallen, Ramona found herself pacing in her living room once again. She thought about running a bath, but decided she couldn't sit still long enough. She had taken 3 showers since she had danced in Michael's studio. She growled and bit her nails. Why was she so nervous? She has had surgery before.

'But I was practically dying. Not like I had a choice,' she thought to herself. Now she had a choice. And it weighed down to 2 options. Either have the surgery and move on with her life, without the constant pain, or live with the pain and possibly lose the use of her shoulder in a few years. The pros outweighed the cons. She and Michael had gone through this many times already.

She growled again and punched the back of the couch. She needed to de-stress herself. She needed to run. She grabbed her running shoes and tied her hair up before dashing outside. She ran for another hour before her legs finally gave out on her. When she got home, she smiled to herself and downed a bottle of water and plopped down on the side of her bed. She looked up above her to see Michael's smiling face and she smiled right back at him.

After a moment, her smile faded. The ache was coming back. She shook her head and went in search of her heating pad. Once she had wrapped herself up, she curled herself up in her recliner with her laptop. She thought about working more on her story about Michael, but instead, she found herself logging on to Facebook. She hadn't updated in quite a while, so she figured, why not?

"_It feels so nice after going out for a long run to clear my head, however now that I'm home alone, I'm feeling nervous. With my tomcat gone to rehearsals late every night, I am left alone with my thoughts, which believe me, is a scary place for me. I just hope Michael gets here soon."_

She posted it and went to her email. Tasha had sent her a new picture from the last time she went to Tasha's studio. She had gotten there early one morning before class and Tasha found her standing in the center of the room staring down in deep thought. Tasha thought it was a great photo opportunity. Ramona rolled her eyes and decided to post the picture to Facebook. Michael would enjoy this.

At the thought of Michael, she paid a quick visit to his website. Her eyes narrowed when she saw he had just changed his profile picture. "Who is that?" she said outloud. She clicked on the photo to enlarge it and nearly gasped. "Uncle Willy? What the hell?"

She immediately sent a comment to the photo. What is he thinking? _"Um…babe? Why is there a picture of…Uncle Willy as your display photo?"_

Something didn't seem right to her.

_Meanwhile…_

"No no, you aren't listening. The beat goes like this," Michael spoke into the mic and began beatboxing and creating the sound he wanted to hear. "Like that. Can you do that?" he asked.

Jonathan, the drummer, nodded and made the beat Michael had asked for. "How's that?"

"Good, that's good. Now, Jennifer, can you make this sound with your guitar?" he paused and made another sound and she nodded and followed.

Derek bit back a yawn and shook it off. He was getting tired of these people calling Michael every time they couldn't seem to get something right. Michael had gone through the concert time and time again. It seemed the only people that knew what they were doing other than Michael was the director and the backup dancers. Michael was working very hard, but still, it never ceased to amaze Derek that Michael never once snapped at anyone.

He rolled his neck from side to side as he stood backstage, watching over his boss. At his side, where he held Michael's phone, he heard a beeping sound. He raised an eyebrow and picked up the phone, noticing it had a new notification on it.

"_Ramona Greene just updated her status."_

He glanced up at Michael to see he was still at work with the band and he opened up Facebook on the phone. Derek's eyes lit up as an idea popped into his head. Ramona had been feeling very anxious and kind of down lately, maybe this would lighten her up. He guessed a random password and was surprised that it worked. Too obvious, Mike, he thought.

He flipped through the phone and found an old image of Michael disguised as Uncle Willy and he switched that image as the display picture on his profile. Mike would probably kill him for this later, but if it made Ramona laugh, then he'd die happy.

He saw that she commented on the photo mere minutes after he posted it and he chuckled to himself and replied back to her.

"_You don't like it, babygirl? I think it looks pretty good. "_

A few seconds later, Ramona responded again with _"Um, yeah I suppose, but why would you have him up instead of your gorgeous face?"_

Derek laughed and pulled up a chair and plopped down. This was going to be fun.

Another reply, but this time it was from Saph. _"Erm…Michael…what's with this picture? I liked the other one."_

Derek chuckled. _"I don't know. Felt like this might be more fun to set. __ Sorry, Saph, I like this one better. :P"_

Ramona replied, _"Honey, are you feeling okay? Maybe you should take a break. You sound like you may be working too hard."_

Derek almost felt guilty at that. Almost. _"I'm fine. Never felt better actually."_

"Derek? What are you laughing at?" Michael asked as he strolled up to Derek, wiping a towel over his face.

"Nothing at all, boss. Uh, Shawn is just being paranoid about random stuff, you know…" Derek lied.

Michael raised an eyebrow. "Shawn? Paranoid?" he paused and Derek held his breath. "Well, okay then." Michael walked away to talk to Kenny and grab a bottle of water. Derek sighed and then turned back to the phone. After a few more moments of going back and forth with Ramona and Saph, he decided Mike needed a new status.

"_Man, rehearsals were crazy today…I'm starving! I'm thinking KFC sounds pretty good right now. Their chicken is out of this world! I'm going to eat an entire bucket if I can! Maybe even two! Gotta get them pounds back somehow from all the rehearsals I've been doing. And KFC has some good eats! "_

He chuckled again as Michael walked by him to head back to the stage. "Seriously, why are you laughing?"

Derek paused. "Shawn fell out of his chair…"

Michael froze in mid step before breaking out in laughter. "Wow, that's very graceful. Remind me never to ask him to stand in for one of my dancers, would ya?"

Derek laughed again. "You got it, boss!"

Michael shook his head with another laugh and went back to work. Derek looked back at the phone and noticed Ramona commented on his new status. It wouldn't be long before he was found out, he was sure.

"_Two buckets? When is the last time you ate?"_

Derek smiled. _"A little while ago. But I did a lot of work today…can you blame me?"_

"_Well…no but this just doesn't sound like you. I can barely get you to stay hydrated, and now you want to stuff yourself like a holiday turkey."_

Derek had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing loudly at that. _"That's right! __"_

"_Something isn't right with you, mister :P"_

Derek laughed loudly at that and caught Michael's attention. He began strolling over and Derek prepared himself. "Okay, Shawn is not that funny. What the heck are you laughing at this time?"

"Well…I…uh…" he stumbled over his words and Michael glanced down to see his phone in Derek's hand. His eyes widened and he snatched the phone from him, looking at the things he'd said.

"Derek? What the hell man! You hacked my Facebook?" he yelled.

"Well, sorry Mike, but you made it too easy. Seriously…Raybug isn't a hard password to figure out," Derek said with a chuckle.

"It is for people who don't know me! What the hell, Derek? Seriously, I should fire your ass for this! This is identity theft!" he yelled again and began pacing.

"In my defense, I was trying to lighten Ramona up a bit. She's been so down, I thought she might get a kick out of this," he said with his hands up in defense.

Michael huffed and glanced at his phone before looking back at Derek. "And you know how I feel about other people calling her babygirl," he growled.

"I was just…"

"Impersonating the king," he glared at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd get upset!" he begged.

Michael shook his head and walked outside, pulling his phone in front of his face. He was fuming and he knew the only way he'd calm down was to talk to Ramona. He sent another comment back to her.

_Michael: "I WILL SERIOUSLY KILL DEREK! This sounds nothing like me! This is…I have no words for this!"_

_Ramona: "Derek…? Oh! I knew you didn't sound like yourself! Derek is going to pay for this!_

_Michael: "Oh yes he is! Might cost him his job at this rate! This is invasion of privacy AND identity theft!"_

_Ramona: "Woa, hang on, babe, slow down. Don't work yourself up too much. We will get him back "_

Michael took a deep breath and a small smile graced his lips. Leave it to his babygirl to calm him down that fast.

_Michael: "Does my babygirl have a plan? "_

_Ramona: "Oh, I think I can come up with a few ideas for my tomcat, but I will need your wittiness to fill in the blanks ;)"_

_Michael: "Sounds like a plan. I…can't believe he set Uncle Willy as my profile picture. I need to change that back now."_

_Ramona: "Yes, please do!"_

Michael chuckled and switched his display picture back to the way it was.

_Michael: "That's better…well a little better. I look like a dork."_

_Ramona: "You look gorgeous, silly :P"_

_Michael: "Eh…if you say so :P"_

_Ramona: "I do say so…now come home. I miss you "_

Michael smiled slightly and headed back inside to speak to Derek. "You're on thin ice with me, but for now, you're still my driver. Take me home, please," he demanded softly and then said his goodbyes to everyone at rehearsals. Derek didn't say a word as he opened the door for Michael and began driving back home. Michael sighed deeply and turned back to his phone.

_Michael: "I'm on my way, babe. Don't worry, I'll be there before you know it, okay?"_

_Ramona: "Alright, tomcat ;)"_

_Michael: "I love you babygirl."_

Back at home, Ramona was sitting up in her chair, smiling like a dork.

_Ramona: "I love you more."_

_Michael: "I love you most :P"_

_Ramona: "Oh you do? Prove it :P"_

_Michael: "Oh I will, you just wait ;)"_

Ramona felt goosebumps rise up against her skin and she shivered and crossed her legs. She and Michael hadn't been intimate in about a week now, and she already knew it was killing her. She couldn't even imagine what it was doing to him. Poor Michael.

_Ramona: "I will leave the door unlocked for you then."_

_Michael: "Mm, I like the sound of that."_

Immediately, Ramona's toes curled. She could practically hear him moaning in her ear.

_Ramona: "Haha, yeah okay, tomcat. Don't forget we still have to follow the doctor's orders."_

_Michael: "We will. No one said we couldn't play a little bit though."_

_Ramona: "Oh I look forward to that, my love."_

_Michael: "As do I. See you very soon, babygirl."_

Ramona glanced up at the clock and huffed.

_Ramona: "Not soon enough. Tell your driver to hurry up!"_

_Michael: "I think I may have to! I feel like this ride is the longest of my life!"_

_Ramona: "Well, while I wait, I think I may just slip into something a little more…comfortable."_

_Michael: "Ooo girl, you are dangerous! Do you know that? This is highly unfair. Just what do you plan on slipping into?"_

Ramona couldn't help but giggle. She loved teasing him, even if it was making her even more excited. If she kept this up, she wouldn't be able to resist making love to him, despite the doctor's orders.

_Ramona: "Oh I don't know, a swim sounds kind of nice. Maybe I should slip into my bathing suit and meet you in your pool ;)"_

_Michael: "Ooo, sounds like a plan. I'll meet you there, babygirl ;)"_

_Ramona: "It's a date."_

Ramona jumped up and slammed her computer shut before bolting to her bedroom. She found her favorite bikini that Michael has yet to see her in. It was a camo bikini with a halter top. The bottom was shaped like panties, but had material at the top that made it look like she was wearing a belt. She glanced at herself in the mirror and then threw on one of Michael's oversized button-up shirts and her slip on shoes. She locked her door and took off running across the lawn and up to Neverland's gates. Shawn let her in and she smirked at him as she tossed a towel over her shoulder. He smiled back and waved. She came for a swim quite often, so he was used to seeing her there.

She waltzed down to the pool and placed her towel by a small table next to a lounging chair. She jogged up to the side of the pool house and flipped a switch that turned on the heater and the lights inside the pool. She smiled to herself and leaned back in the chair, closing her eyes. She listened to the nature around her and breathed in deep. It was so peaceful.

She stretched her arms up over her head and sighed. She loved hearing the wind flowing through the trees around her, and the frogs chirping in the woods nearby. She was never much of a city girl. She loved the country too much. Suddenly she felt the chair shake a bit and warm air hit the side of her neck. She smiled knowing who it was.

"Hi baby," he whispered as he leaned over her hair and kissed her neck.

"Mm, hello to you too," she hummed. He kissed her lightly on the lips before sitting up. She popped her eyes open and almost groaned. He was in his red swim trunks and his hair was down and blowing gently in the wind. She raised a brow and smiled. "Are you ready for a swim?"

"Ready when you are, my love," he smiled and stood up, helping her to her feet. He walked to the edge and felt the water with his foot. Ramona chuckled and then pushed him into the pool. He yelped and fell in, causing Ramona to double over in laughter. "Ramona Greene! That was uncalled for!" he yelled.

"So sorry," she mused. She slowly unbuttoned the shirt and slid it seductively off of her shoulders. Michael's eyes went from stern to lustful in seconds flat. Ramona smirked at him and then dove into the pool, swimming past Michael.

"Hey…wait a minute!" he yelled and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her up to the surface before she could get away. She wiped her face and looked at him curiously.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You can't just strip in front of me like that and expect to get away with it," he said in a low voice.

Ramona shivered at his tone and licked her lips, staring at his. He took the hint and brushed his lips across hers. She sighed into his mouth and he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. She tightened her hold on him and slid her fingers into his hair and massaged his scalp. He groaned against her lips and slid his thumbs into the bottoms of her suit. Before she knew it, her back was pressed up against the wall of the pool.

"Michael…we can't…" she panted against his neck as he untied her top and slid his hands up to massage her breasts.

"Can't what," he whispered against her shoulder, planting open –mouthed kisses along her collar bone and neck.

"We…we can't…" she stumbled over words as he tweaked her nipples and then lowered his hand to take her bottoms off. "We…" he slid his hand up her thigh and massaged her lady parts. "Oh, God…"

"You can call me Michael," he smirked and then kissed her lips passionately.

"Oh…shut…up," she panted and then reached for his shorts, freeing him finally. She felt his hard length press against her thigh and she grasped it tightly with her hand. He groaned into her mouth and slid his finger into her. "Mi…Micha…Oh…" she moaned.

"What…babygirl?" he panted. "Tell me…what you want…"

"M…Ma…" she breathed as he worked his finger against her. "Make love to me…" she finally moaned out.

Michael pulled away and licked his lips. "I thought you said we had to follow the doctor's orders?"

"Screw the doctor's orders!" she growled. "Please…make love to me baby," she begged. He didn't need anymore persuasion after that. He pulled her legs around his waist and slid himself easily into her and she gasped in delight. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest as he worked his hips into hers. He leaned over and grasped the side of the pool, pressing himself as deep into her as he could. He had never made love in a pool before, but he had to admit, this was amazing. The water made everything slick and easy to move.

She threw her head back and he leaned down and pulled her hardened nipple into his mouth, sucking on it roughly. She moaned even louder and tightened her legs around him. He knew she was close and so was he. He flicked his tongue over her nipple and switched to the other, then slid his hand down between them and massaged her nub with his thumb. Her body tensed and she came hard and long. He silenced both of their climax filled moans with a deep kiss as they both came back down from their highs.

"Oh…man…" he panted. "Thank you, God," he whispered.

"You…can call me…Ramona," she panted back.

Michael nudged her playfully. "I was thanking God for you," he whispered. She looked into his eyes and smiled warmly and he kissed her again. "I love you, Ramona Greene."

She hugged him tightly, still feeling him inside her. "I love you, Michael Jackson."

He smiled and hugged her again. He was about to pull away from her to continue their late night swim until she wrapped her legs tighter around him. He felt himself grow hard once again and he went back to making love to her right there in the pool. By the time the night was over, they had made love on every end of the pool, on the steps, and even on top of the diving board before they decided to head inside for a shower. Even after that, they made love in the shower twice and once again when they got to bed.

"So…you still thinking about firing Derek?" Ramona whispered as she rested her head on his bare chest.

Michael sighed and ran his fingers through her hair as he thought. "Nah, I won't fire him. I suppose his intentions weren't so bad, and I kind of feel bad for exploding on him the way I did."

"You exploded on him?" she asked in surprise.

"In my defense," he chuckled. "I was frustrated."

"About the concert?" she asked.

"No…I mean, I was frustrated…" he said as he pulled her hand over his crotch. She giggled when she felt his hardness already returning. She rolled over on top of him and slid his length into her. Michael groaned and gripped her hips tightly as she moved her hips against him.

"So…he pisses you off…and I get the rough end of this…?" she panted as she moved her hips back and forth.

"Are you complaining, babygirl?" he whispered.

"Never," she said as she picked up her pace and brought them to another climax together. She fell over and then winced. She turned her back to Michael and grabbed her shoulder.

Michael jumped up and crawled toward her, kissing her shoulder lightly. "Do you want your heating pad?" he asked and she nodded. He wrapped the sheet around his waist and ran out of the room, returning quickly with her heating pad and a couple of pills. She eyed them wearily and he placed them in her hand and closed it around them. "It isn't addicting. This is one of my pain killers."

"Michael…" she began to argue as he wrapped her shoulder.

"Relax. It's just extra strength Ibuprofen. It helps with inflammation," he said softly. She gave in and took the pills. Before long, she found herself lying against his chest again and finally falling into a deep sleep.

"My sweet babygirl, I wish I could take this pain away from you," he whispered as he stroke her face gently and played with her hair while she slept. "You're stronger than anyone I know, baby. I am so proud of you. We will get this surgery out of the way and you will feel so much better, you'll see," he lowered his voice and placed a gentle kiss on her lips and snuggled himself against her. "I will always be right here."


	29. Chapter 29

The next morning, Ramona woke up to find Michael had already left. In his place was a note. She picked it up and read it while rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

_I couldn't bare to wake you. You looked so peaceful for once. I went on to New York. I wish I could bring you with me. Don't forget you are supposed to sign in at the hospital's front desk by 5. I will be there as soon as I can. I love you, babygirl. Forever and always. Love, Mike._

Ramona couldn't help but sigh. Her brief window of little to no pain obviously wasn't going to last. Her mind had been completely distracted last night, thanks to Michael. She ran a hand through her hair and blushed a little at the memory. This wasn't so bad. If she could keep her mind busy and filled with Michael or dancing, she could work through the anxiety on her own, right? That was her theory.

She snorted at herself. "I'm a big girl. I can handle this myself."

She climbed out of bed and took a long shower and joined Marie downstairs for some breakfast. Afterward, she decided to go out and play with the tigers as long as she possibly could. Anything to keep her distracted from what was to come. She knew once she was admitted into the hospital, there would be no escaping the anxiety. There was medication for that though, wasn't there? She could do this.

A few hours later, she found herself in the Giving Tree. She continued to work on her story about Michael, smiling as she wrote. She felt unstoppable. That was until she heard Derek calling out for her.

"Ray! Where you at, girl? It's time to go pack your bags! Ray?" he called. She stiffened and set her notebook aside and decided to climb higher up into the branches and hide herself in the limbs. "Ray, come on, this isn't funny! Where are you?"

Ramona sighed and decided there was no fighting it. She gave in and slowly climbed down. "Chill out. I'm right here," she grumbled as she jumped the rest of the way down the tree.

"Thank God, I thought you ran out on me. Mike would have my head if I let anything happen to you," he sighed. "Let's head to your place and pack your bags."

Ramona sighed. "Is it that time already?"

"Yeah, but don't you worry. You aren't alone in this, remember? We got you, girl," he winked and she sighed heavily and nodded.

"Thanks Derek."

She slumped her shoulders and allowed him to take the lead back to her house. She leaned against the doorframe of her room while Derek packed most of her things for her. Once he finished her main bags, he moved to her smaller bag for her toiletries.

"So I was thinking, you should teach me a few of your moves once you're back up on your feet," Derek said over his shoulder.

"You want to dance?" she asked surprised.

"Absolutely. I know I will never be anything like you or Mike, but it does look like fun. Come on, what do you say?" he turned to her now and tried to give her the puppy dog eyes.

Ramona laughed as she realized Derek's sad pout had no effect on her. "You realize it will be a few weeks before I can even dance on my own again, don't you?"

Derek straightened and turned back to her bag. "More like a couple months, but yeah I can wait. I've waited this long, right?"

He had mumbled that first part, hoping Ramona wouldn't have caught it. Her eyes widened and her face paled a little. Oh she caught it, alright. "Excuse me?"

"I said I've waited this long…"

"You said a couple of months. A couple…? As in two? No! No no no no…" her head began spinning and she pulled at the ends of her hair while she paced around the room.

"Hey hey, calm down…" he stood up and held his hands up.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" she snapped. Derek jumped back and recoiled his hands. "You have no idea how hard that will be for me not to dance for two…" she choked. "Two…" she tried again and tears sprang from her eyes. She shook her head and her shoulders slumped. "I can't even say it."

"You're freaking out over nothing! Come on, you can get through this," Derek tried to comfort her, but she wasn't listening.

Ramona was looking everywhere except at him. He didn't like the look she had in her eyes. The light that once lit up her gorgeous eyes was now faded and her cheeks became more and more pale each passing moment.

"Ray? Talk to me girl. What are you thinking?" he asked nervously.

Ramona began to back up through the doorway and kept her eyes downcast. "I…" she said quietly, looking for the right words. She couldn't describe how she felt. Two months? How in the world was she expected not to dance for two months? She was only supposed to spend 2 weeks in the hospital, wasn't she? Why couldn't she dance after she left the hospital? "I can't…" she tried again as she continued to back up.

"Ray…" Derek took a step closer with his arm outstretched.

"I can't do this," she whispered. Before Derek could comprehend what she had just said, she turned and bolted out the door. Derek's eyes widened and he chased after her.

"Ray! Come back!" he called. By the time he had gotten out the door, she was nowhere in sight. "Ramona? Please don't do this! Ray!" he called again and began his search for her. "Oh God, Mike is going to kill me."

Ramona had originally run out behind her house until she spotted Derek. Her mind had clouded over. Suddenly she wasn't thinking clearly. All she could think was she needed to get away where no one would find her. If they can't find her, she won't have to go to that hospital and she can continue to dance. She could work through the pain, right? She could live with getting the painful injections as needed as long as she could still dance. She hid behind her trash can in the side yard and watched Derek pace the front before he turned inside. She took that opportunity and bolted across the lawn toward Neverland. She didn't bother going through the gates. She scaled the privacy fence and hid among the trees. When she found a decent hiding place, she sat there to catch her breath until she heard more voices searching for her. The second someone came close to finding her, she ran to find another hiding place. Her adrenaline was at an all time high. She would continue to run until dawn if she had to.

Derek locked up her house and ran toward Neverland. Where else would she run to? He scaled the ranch briefly before setting out an alert to all staff to stop everything they were doing and join in the search. Neverland was a huge property and they had much to cover, after all.

_Meanwhile…_

"Thank you! I love you!" Michael yelled out over the crowd. He ran off stage and wiped his face with a towel and poured a bottle of water on his face.

"You were on fire tonight, Mike!" Frank patted his shoulder once he entered his dressing room.

"I felt like I was on fire. That crowd was intense! What energy!" he beamed as he changed clothes. "Are my bags ready to go?"

"Yes, Charlie loaded them up already and your plane is fueled and on the runway at the airport," he mumbled through his cigar with a smile.

"Thanks," he smiled and headed out the door. He grinned as he met up with thousands of his fans outside the arena. He took a few pictures and signed as many autographs as he could while he headed toward his ride. "Thank you! I love you!" He blew kisses to the crowd and threw out the peace sign as he climbed into the SUV. "That's one obstacle down," he breathed.

Charlie smiled at him through the rear view mirror as they headed on toward the airport. Once Michael finally landed back in LA, he called Derek.

"Hello?" he panted as he answered.

"Hey, Derek. Why are you so out of breath? Ramona keeping you that busy?" he chuckled.

"Yea, you could say that," he said nervously.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, suddenly serious.

"Um…kind of?" he said.

Michael groaned. "What do you mean, kind of? What happened?"

"Well, I…um…" he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"You, um what?" Michael grumbled. "Spit it out. Where is she?"

"I don't know," he said.

"You don't know. You…don't…know? Are you serious, Derek? Damnit you were supposed to take care of her while I was gone! Now where is she?"

"Michael, I really don't know! I have the entire staff out scaling the property and I have been since 3:30 this afternoon!" he yelled in a panic.

"Meet me at the gate," he snapped before hanging up. The second they pulled into the ranch, Michael jumped out. He didn't bother waiting for Charlie to open the door for him. Derek ran up to him, still very nervous and covered in sweat. Michael's eyes softened a bit. "Tell me what happened."

Derek took a deep breath. "I was packing her bags for her and she watched on, telling me what she wanted to take and all, and while I was on her last bag, she kind of panicked."

"Why would she panic out of nowhere? What did you say to her?" Michael asked impatiently.

Derek thought for a moment. "I was trying to lighten her mood by asking her to teach me a few dance steps. Then she said I would have to be patient to let her heal for a few weeks, and then I said…oh…" he paused in realization.

"What?" Michael eyed him with his arms crossed.

"I might have mentioned she would be down longer than a few weeks," he said carefully.

"_Might_ have mentioned? How much longer than a few weeks did you say?" he ground his teeth angrily.

"Um…" he cleared his throat nervously. "A couple months?"

"A couple…?!" Michael ran his hands through his hair angrily and pulled at the ends. He paced the lawn shaking his head and biting his lip.

"Mike, I…"

"I don't care, Derek! Find her! Now!" he yelled before storming off to search on his own. "I swear if I don't find her, I'm going to be sick," he mumbled to himself. He searched all areas he knew she loved about the ranch. He went through all rooms in the house, starting with the dance studio. He checked the study, the kitchen, the bedrooms, the theater, even his safe room in the back of his closet. She was nowhere to be found. "Where are you, babygirl?" he said quietly. He wiped away a few tears that gathered in the corners of his eyes as he searched. He ran outside and began climbing the Giving Tree. He wove his way through the branches, making sure not to miss a single branch. When he reached the top, he leaned on a branch and sighed as he scaled the entire ranch with his eyes.

He couldn't think straight. He began to blame himself. He should've been with her. He shouldn't have left her by herself. He knew how scared she was. Maybe he should have brought her with him to the concert. Surely, that would've taken her mind off of things for a while. He wiped away another tear and glanced toward the zoo. The tigers seemed to be pacing around the pen. Michael watched them for a few moments. Maybe they know something's wrong.

"So smart," he said to himself. He paused when he noticed Enrique walking near the pen in his own search for Ramona. Thriller and Sabu stopped in their tracks and growled at him, hackles rising on their backs. Michael raised a brow in confusion. They kept their positions in between Enrique and the inside of their den and neither moved a muscle until Enrique backed away. Michael jumped down and headed toward the pen. Enrique looked up at him as he neared. "Go near the pen again."

Enrique raised a brow but did as he was told. The tigers went from pacing to growling yet again. "I don't understand why they are behaving in such a way," Enrique whispered to Michael over his shoulder. He moved slowly down the fence and the tigers followed his every movement, still keeping themselves in between Enrique and the den. "That is so strange. Why would they act this way?"

"Because they're protecting something," Michael said suddenly as he realized their behavior. They had done this once before when they were still fairly new to the ranch. Michael was still learning just how much meat to give them each day and one day he had given them a chunk as big as they were. They worked on it for a while, but anytime someone would come near them, they began protecting it, placing themselves in between the meat and the intruder.

Michael pushed Enrique back and walked up to the fence. Thriller saw Michael and calmed instantly and Sabu trotted inside the den. Michael was the alpha of their pack. Their mother, so to speak. They knew Michael would never try to take something or cause harm to whatever it is they felt the need to protect. He slowly entered the pen and the Thriller greeted him as if it were any other day. He rubbed his ears and slowly made his way toward the den.

"What are you protecting, Thriller? Huh?" he spoke child-like to the animal and Thriller rubbed against him. "What's in there, Thriller?" he called. Thriller grumbled and walked toward the den, stopping to watch Michael. He was leading him inside. "Good boy," Michael smiled and followed. The second he entered the den, he found Ramona asleep. She was curled up on some straw where the tigers usually slept during the day. Sabu was lying next to her, clearly keeping her warm.

"Oh, babygirl…" he sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes furiously. The second he realized she was safe, his emotions took over. "Good boy, Sabu," he smiled and rubbed his ears. Sabu purred and stood up, stopping to rub against Michael, and then trotted back outside to join his brother. Michael rubbed Ramona's face lightly. "She's ok. Thank God, she's alright," he whispered. He pulled her body up against his and lifted her slowly. Her body was very cold. He didn't want her to get sick. He hurried out of the pen and took her inside. The second Derek spotted them, he called off the search, silently thanking God himself that she was safe.

Later that night, Ramona slowly began to rouse from her deep sleep. She noticed it was dark outside. The last thing she remembered was curling up next to Sabu in a pile of hay. She fell asleep shivering. She noticed she was no longer lying in an uncomfortable bed of straw. Now she was in a comfortable bed, tucked into some heavy blankets. She stretched her legs out a bit and slightly moved her body and froze when an arm tightened around her waist. She looked down and noticed Michael's hand on her stomach. She bit her lip. She knew she was in trouble with him, but he seemed to be asleep. She decided to sleep longer. Maybe she could wait it out and sneak out if Michael got up to use the bathroom or something.

When she awakened for the second time, the sun was shining through the window. She stretched out slowly and this time, she was alone. Good. Maybe she could sneak out and avoid a lecture. She slowly stood to her feet and winced when a jolt of pain shot through her shoulder. She fell to her knees in a gasp.

"Damn," she panted. She sat back against the bed and paced herself for more pain. 'There's just no escaping this. I have no choice but to do this stupid surgery.'

She took a deep breath and slowly stood once again. She knew she had to face Michael and force herself to get to the hospital. She hoped it wasn't too late. For now, all she wanted to do was slide out of his house and make it to hers without being noticed. At least at her house she could sort through her emotions a little better and try to decide how best to approach Michael.

"I know, Saph…What do you expect me to do?" Michael's irritated voice drifted through the house. Ramona snuck to the doorway and peaked down the hall. He was pacing in the living room with his phone pressed against his ear. His face was scrunched up in a scowl, dark circles under his eyes, his hair was a mess. Ramona's face fell instantly. Did she do this to him?

"Look, I know, okay? I've already contacted her doctor. The important thing is she's safe and sound. I will have to talk to her and see when we can reschedule the admittance date."

Ramona gulped and watched him turn toward the kitchen. This was her chance to skip out and get to her house. She slid against the walls until she hit the living room. Michael turned on his heel, still on the phone, and Ramona dove behind the couch. If she wasn't in trouble, this would be fun. She crawled on her hands and knees as Michael walked toward the hallway and turned once again toward the kitchen. Ramona stood again and headed for the door. She hesitated for a moment when she noticed Michael's pajama shirt was unbuttoned, the sun glistening off of his perfect porcelain skin.

"No, you guys don't need to come over. I will handle it and let you know what we decide. Yes…I promise I will. Alright, bye," he sighed as he hung up the phone and tossed it on the couch. He caught a glimpse of Ramona from his peripheral vision and spun on his heel.

Too bad she hesitated when she did. She grabbed the door handle and was immediately frozen in place by one word. "Freeze!"

She stiffened and slowly turned to him. He stood with his hands on his hips, tapping his foot. "Umm…" she mumbled. "Hi…?"

"Hi," he said impatiently. He pointed to the couch and she slumped her shoulders and slumped down into the couch. "How much trouble am I in?" she asked.

Michael felt guilty when she asked this. She sounded like a scared little child. He sighed and plopped down next to her, pulling her against his chest tightly. "Heeps," he began. She sighed and he pulled her away to look into her eyes. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? How freaked out Derek was along with the entire staff?"

She gulped. "The entire staff?"

"Yes. They turned the entire ranch upside down looking for you," he scolded her.

She swallowed hard and a few tears rolled down her pale cheeks. "I'm…I'm sorry…"

Michael immediately wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I can see that you are, darling. But why did you run? I thought we already decided that this surgery was the best option."

"I know," she whispered. "But I agreed to this option only because I was under the impression I'd only be down a couple of weeks. Not a couple of months. How am I supposed to not dance for 2 months, Mike? That's…that's torture!" she cried.

Michael bit his lip. He understood exactly how she felt. If anyone ever told him he wasn't allowed to dance for a long period of time, he'd go crazy. Then his eyes caught a glimpse of his bible on the bookshelf across the room. "Who's to say it has to be that long?" he said.

Ramona sat up and looked at him with hope in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"The bible tells us that so long as we speak against illness or pain, it cannot stay. If you say you'll be down for months, then it shall be. However, if we both believe you will be up and dancing in weeks, then…"

"It shall be," she finished for him. New light came to her eyes as Michael nodded at her. "You're right. All this time I was embracing the pain, I completely lost my way in my faith."

"Tisk tisk," he teased. "You should never lose your faith, no matter what."

"Yeah, I know," she pouted. "I guess we better start praying, huh?"

Michael smiled at her and kissed her head. "Yes, we will pray. But first, we need to reschedule with the hospital and finish packing your things."

"Oh…right," she slowly stood and then looked at Michael with a grin on her face. "Before that, I think we both need a long hot shower. You look horrible," she chuckled. He shrugged.

"Speak for yourself. You look like you spent the night in a barn."

Ramona frowned and threw a pillow at him. "Jerk."

Michael caught the pillow and raised a brow at her. "Now see…you really shouldn't have done that."

Ramona's eyes widened as he picked up a second pillow and began stalking her. She squealed and took off running through the house. Michael chased after her in a fit of giggles. Marie stood in the kitchen with a huge smile on her face. She laughed to herself when she heard Ramona yelp and laugh hysterically followed by Michael's triumphant "Gotcha!"


	30. Chapter 30

"Where are we going?" Ramona asked Michael as he tapped his fingers on her knee to a random beat in his head.

"You'll see," he said.

She huffed at him. "You said that a thousand times already. When are you gonna give me a straight answer?"

"When you stop asking," he replied simply. She scowled at him and he grinned and sat back in his seat.

When they got to their destination, Charlie opened the door for them. Michael jumped out and held his hand out for Ramona. She took his hand slowly and stepped out. Her eyes scanned the area and then widened.

"I never thought I'd be back here again," she whispered.

Michael cleared his throat behind her and she turned to see him holding a case for a large tent and a lantern over his shoulder. She bit her lip nervously and he chuckled.

"No worries, dear heart. I checked the forecast for Santa Monica for the next 48 hours. Crystal clear," he beamed. She still hesitated and he nudged her. "Come on, let's live a little. It'll be a good getaway before we have to be stuffed into that hospital room for a few days."

She sighed and slumped her shoulders. "There is no escaping that, is there?" Michael shook his head and took her hand.

"Let's set up camp. The beach is closed for the next few hours, just in case," he smiled.

She grinned back. "Just in case a few fans get in, I think I can handle them."

"Right," he chuckled.

Michael led her to the exact spot where her old tent used to lay, and together, they set up their tent. This one being quite a deal larger than her old one. It was a two bedroom.

"Why a two bedroom?" Ramona asked.

"I don't know. I just enjoyed the size of the entire tent. The master bedroom is enough for us," he winked.

Ramona glanced at Charlie sitting at his post near the SUV, unmoving. "Michael," she asked.

"Yes love?"

"Why don't we invite someone to share the guest room?" Michael looked at her and she pointed to Charlie. "He looks so stiff and on edge. Don't you think he could use a little bit of a vacation too?" she asked him. He raised a brow at her and she gave him the sad puppy dog eyes.

"Ugh," he groaned. "You and that adorable face," he cooed and kissed her lightly. "Hey Charlie, turn off the car and join us down here, buddy!"

Charlie hesitated but did as he was told and slowly made his way down to the beach. "Is there something I can do for you, sir? Miss?"

"Yes, Charlie. You can relax with us. We have an extra room in the tent. Kick back and enjoy some peace," Michael patted him on the back.

"Relax?" he asked dumbfounded.

"Yes," Ramona said as she pushed him down into a lounge chair and pulled his shoes off. She buried his feet in the sand and giggled when he wiggled his toes. "That's it. Relax, kick back and enjoy the beach. You deserve it."

"I'm not intruding…?"

"No way," Michael and Ramona spoke in unison.

"As long as you don't mind any questionable noises coming from our room in the middle of the night," Michael added.

"Michael!" Ramona blushed and elbowed him in the side.

He shrugged. "Just thought I'd warn him."

"It's alright, sir. I've got earplugs." Charlie spoke with such proper language, Michael and Ramona couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles.

Later on as Charlie nestled down for the night, Michael had taken Ramona for a long walk on the beach. The water was warm and clear and the blue moon was high over the ocean. It was beautiful.

"I'm gonna miss all of this," Ramona whispered. She placed her hand over her scar as they walked and Michael took her hand in his.

"There will be more of this later, I promise you."

Ramona nodded and kept her eyes downcast. Michael found the spot where he had first seen Ramona and sat down, pulling her up between his legs. She lay her head back on his bare chest and breathed in deeply.

"This is the spot where I first saw you, did you know that?" he whispered into her ear.

She closed her eyes. "It's not the first time we saw each other."

"The first time I saw you without pain in your eyes, yes. You have come a long way, my love. And I am so proud of you."

Ramona moved away from him so she could face him. "What's there to be proud of? A girl who knows what is necessary to move on in life and yet her fear is running her life and making her doing things that are way out of control. Making her hurt people she loves so much," she paused and sniffed. "I don't wanna hurt you, Michael…" she choked on a sob and Michael pulled her into his chest. He pulled her fully into his lap and rocked her.

"You can't possibly hurt me unless you leave me, or tell me you don't love me anymore. I am so proud because of everything you've done so far. You've hit a wall, that's it. You just need to climb over it and move on. You care so much about other people and it is absolutely amazing for me to watch you shine the way you do."

"I'm not shining, Michael," she pouted like a child.

"You want to shine?" he asked as he stood to his feet. "Come on then. Let's go shine," he held out his hand to her and she hesitantly took it. They walked toward the water and slowly walked further into the ocean. Once the water came to their hips, Michael turned to her. "Dance with me," he whispered.

She took his hand and took the stance with him. She never tried dancing like this in water before. It was almost like it was in slow motion. Michael began to sing a little song called Blood on the Dance Floor. Ramona loved getting into this song. Her hips began to sway against his and her eyes were drooping. This is what he wanted to see. Ramona losing herself in dance.

They danced furiously through the water and slowly made their way to shore, but the dance continued up onto the dry beach. Sand was being kicked around and water flung from their clothing. Michael smiled as the beads of sweat rippled down both their bodies and yet neither wanted to stop.

They switched the song to In the Closet and the sexiness of Ramona came out. She was all over him and he was shaking with desire. They danced down the coast, rubbing each other in ways that would drive a normal person insane. The dance continued as Michael followed her into their bed, still dancing. She slid backward into the bed and swivled her hips around his. He arched his back over her and connected his hips with hers. Then became a new dance full of love making. Each making their own musical sounds of pleasure. By the time it was over, they were back outside on top of the boulder with a blanket wrapped around them.

"I love you," Ramona panted.

"I love you," Michael panted back. He kissed her softly and fell back. "See? I told you you could shine."

"Only because you make me that way," she shot at him.

"Every dancer has their inspiration," he winked. "Now morning is when we pack up and head to the hospital. And please don't get all…"

"I'm not."

"What?"

Ramona shrugged. "I said I'm not. I have gone far enough in this process to know running will obviously get me nowhere, and I don't wanna battle this stupid pain anymore. I know the surgery means risks, but…"

She got up on her knees and took Michael's hands in her own. "I know that as long as you're with me, I can face any obstacle and come out on top."

Michael smiled brightly and hugged her. "That's my girl."


	31. Chapter 31

Ramona made a slow trek toward the front entrance of the hospital in downtown L.A. Derek walked in front of her, leading the way. She bit her lip as every step became more and more difficult for her. She froze as they made it to the front door.

"Ramona?"

She jumped as Derek called her name, holding the door open for her and waiting for her to move. She stared blankly inside the door for a moment before she slowly dragged her feet forward.

Derek didn't say another word until they reached the front desk. "I have Ramona Greene checking in, please."

The woman at the desk looked around him and looked back at him. "Where is she?"

Derek mentally cursed and turned around. Ramona had turned the second Derek began speaking. She almost made it to the door until an arm shot out in front of her and grabbed her.

"Woa, where do you think you're going?" Michael spoke softly as he hugged her back against his chest. She breathed rather quickly for a moment. "Honey, I'm right here with you. I'm not going anywhere. Calm down. Breathe with me," he whispered softly to her as he steadied his breathing against her back.

Ramona gulped and then laced her fingers with his, focusing on his breathing. She slowly began breathing normally and then sighed.

"There you go, that's my girl," Michael softly praised her and turned her around. He kissed her softly on the lips and she finally smiled at him. "Better?"

She sighed. "Yea. Thanks tomcat. I don't know what came over me. I mean, I know this must be done in order for me to continue dancing, but I don't know. I'm so afraid I'm gonna lose my touch and I won't wanna dance again like before…"

Michael shook his head. "No, I won't allow that to happen. Before is when he was trying to run your life and make you live it the way he wanted you to. This is your life. You're the only one that has a say in what goes on, and who stays in it."

She nodded and took a deep breath before turning back to the front desk. Michael smiled at Derek and motioned him silently to move aside. He squeezed her hand and walked slowly by her side until they finally reached the front desk.

"Ramona Greene, I presume?" the woman asked. Ramona nodded without making eye contact. "Hey, no worries. We have some of the best doctors in the nation working here. You will be just fine," she winked and handed over some paperwork to sign. Ramona held the pen and shook slightly as she tried to sign. Michael smirked and held her hand steady as he helped her carefully sign her name in all the correct places.

She smiled a thanks to him and he winked at her as they were led to an elevator and up to her room.

The nurses came in one by one and handed her a robe to change into. She bounced her leg nervously on the side of the hospital bed as she watched the nurses move around her. Another nurse asked her to lay back and they hooked her up to a heart monitor. They placed sticky nodes all over her chest and shoulders and the cords attached to a plastic box which they tucked into her robe pocket.

"This is just a heart monitor. We have a little computer at the nurse's station that shows us what you're heart rate it like. So if there's a problem during your stay here, we'll see it first," an older nurse smiled sweetly at Ramona. She nodded and bit her lip.

Another nurse came in and took her vitals. She giggled when her blood pressure cuff released and showed the numbers. "You must be nervous. The nurse will come in and give you something to help you relax if you want it."

"I think that would be a wonderful idea," Michael spoke up. The nurse nodded at him and walked out. Another person walked in wheeling a cart carrying numerous tubes with different colored caps on each one. Michael bit his lip. He hated needles. "I, um…I'm gonna start unpacking some of your things, sweetheart."

Ramona giggled slightly at his face as he disappeared into the bathroom with her toiletries'. "Mike, it's just a needle," she paused and winced as the man stuck her. He apologized lightly and she shook it off. "No worries. Not my first time getting stuck. I'm sure it won't be the last either."

The man smiled as he took blood and started her IV. He cleaned up some access blood left over and then left the room. Michael returned with more of his color in his face. Ramona raised an eyebrow at him and he gave her a funny look.

"What?"

"Since when are you afraid of needles?" she asked.

"Since forever," he said simply.

"You didn't seem so scared when I got that injection," she countered.

Michael shrugged. "My fear didn't seem as important then." Ramona blinked and he looked at her with a serious face. "You needed me."

Ramona smiled and reached for him. He moved to the side of the bed and took her hand in his, kissing the back of it gently.

"I love you," she whispered.

Michael smiled and leaned down to capture her lips in his. "I love you more."

"I highly doubt that," she giggled.

Michael gasped. "You doubt me? The great Michael Jackson? Shame on you, woman!" he said dramatically.

Ramona laughed and the nurse ran in. "Are you doing okay?" she asked, panting lightly.

"Yes, I'm fine. Why?" Ramona asked.

"Your heart rate just shot up dramatically," she said. She eyed Michael and saw his grin and she smiled. "Now I see why. Try to keep things calm, okay Thriller Man?" she giggled at him as his mouth dropped in shock.

The doctor came in a little while later and Michael was lying in the bed with Ramona. The bed was sitting up and he sat back, Ramona lying against his back with her eyes shut. He was reading to her. She didn't know what it was, but it was a lovely story.

"How's my favorite dancer feeling?" he asked.

Michael and Ramona both sat up and replied with a "fine."

The doctor chuckled as Ramona and Mike glanced at each other and then smiled. "Okay, two of my favorite dancers," he corrected himself.

"I'm alright, just nervous," Ramona replied softly.

"I understand completely. Let me show you some x-rays," he said as he placed a black sheet onto a white board on the wall. He flipped a switch and a bright light came on, showing Ramona's x-ray. There was a bright white dot in the middle of her shoulder.

"Is that the bullet?" Michael asked as he squinted his eyes at the board.

"Yes," the doctor answered as he pulled out a pen and pointed at it. "This is the bullet she was hit with in Bucharest. The doctors there were unable to locate it. I know it looks easy to get to on the x-ray, but once they got inside there, it was so wound up in ripped tissues and muscle. There was just no way to get to it without causing further damage."

Ramona winced and rubbed her shoulder and Michael kissed her temple trying to soothe her. "So, what is this surgery supposed to accomplish this time?" he asked.

"Well, the tissues and muscles have had plenty of time to mend by now. We are going to try and locate the bullet and remove it, as well as repair any damaged tissues we can't see already on the x-ray. However there is a risk, as with any surgery, with bleeding."

Ramona took a sharp intake of breath and clenched Michael's hand tightly. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

"We will not go any further if there's risk of further damage. Overall, our main goal is to find what is causing you so much pain and destroy it before it gets any worse for you."

"How many times have you done this surgery?" she asked suddenly.

The doctor tapped his chin in deep thought. "You know…I've lost count."

Michael smiled at Ramona as she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in. "Alright, I'm ready."

"That was going to be my next question. We can push the surgery to tonight, maybe an hour and a half away, or we can do it first thing in the morning. It's completely up to you."

"Tonight," she shot out instantly.

"Baby, don't you even want to think about it first?" Michael asked her.

"No. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can come home with you and get back to dancing. I'm tired of being scared, Michael."

Michael placed his forehead against hers for a second and then moved a hair behind her ear. "I know you are, baby. I know. Okay doc, tonight it is," he said to the doctor.

"Very well then. I will see you in a little bit. Would you like something to calm you down while you wait?"

Ramona nodded and Michael cleared his throat. "Is there anything you can give me too?"

The doctor raised his eyebrow at him. "Would you like me to start an IV on you too?"

Michael sunk into the bed and Ramona looked at him from over her good shoulder. "Umm…on second thought, I think I will just work on some new lyrics."

Ramona giggled and the doctor chuckled before writing something on his clipboard and leaving the room.

"Thank you," she whispered to Michael as she nuzzled his neck and kissed his cheek.

"For what?" he asked.

"For being here. For always being there by my side. For being my best friend…and for showing me how to feel…and to love. I love you so much," she mumbled, biting back tears.

Michael's heart throbbed against his chest. He never had any doubts when it came to Ramona. She always came first since the moment he met her. She became number one in his life the second she stepped in front of him on that stage in Bucharest.

"No, thank you for saving my life, and for loving me for me," he smiled and kissed her passionately.

"I wouldn't love you any other way," she sighed into his chest.

"Nor I you, my love. In fact," he sat up a little so he could look into her eyes. "I would spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you, if you'd let me."

Ramona searched his eyes for a moment. "What are you saying, Michael?"

"Marry me, Ramona Greene. I love you more than anything, or anyone. My love for you is eternal, I just know it. You love me for me, which is more than anyone has ever done for me my entire life. I love you. Marry me, babygirl."

Ramona's eyes welled up with tears and for a moment, Michael thought she'd say no or get up and run out, but she finally smiled and nodded. "Okay," she said softly.

"What?" Michael asked, making sure he heard her correctly.

"I said okay," she giggled. "Nothing would make sense without you by my side. I love you, Michael. And I will love you for the…" she was cut off as Michael kissed her passionately. He pulled her on top of him and deepened the kiss. She moaned into his lips and slowly moved her hips against his. He groaned and then pulled her off, hearing someone barge in the door.

"What did I say about keeping her calm, thriller man?" the nurse scolded him.

He giggled and she buried her face in his neck in embarrassment.

"Sorry. Won't happen again, boss," he chuckled.


End file.
